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ACTive ALIAproACTiveNumber 235: June 2003ACTive ALIA convenor's columnCongratulationsALIA silver star pins were presented to well known ACT library identities Roxanne Missingham, Kerry Webb, Peter Clayton, Averill Edwards and Warren Horton on 15 May. The pins, in the shape of the ALIA star logo, are in recognition of their extensive voluntary service to ALIA. The pins were presented at the combined AGM and launch of the new ALIA website. Australian Copyright in DangerAustralia is currently negotiating with the US over a proposed bilateral Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA). The US approach in the negotiations so far has been, without exception, to place pressure on the Australian Government to 'harmonise' Australian copyright law to American standards. This is what Miranda Lee, Executive Officer for the Australian Digital Alliance (ADA) and Copyright Adviser (Law and Policy) for the Australian Libraries Copyright Committee (ALCC) warned us about in her talk on 'International war for the control of information' on 14 May. Although AUSFTA covers a range of trade sectors, copyright has been receiving a lot of attention in the negotiations from the United States Trade Representative (USTR). This is hardly surprising given that the American copyright industries have a surplus balance of trade with Australia. The issues that have been tagged as open for negotiation cover almost every aspect of use and access to copyright materials AUSFTA follows the recent conclusion of the Chile-US and the Singapore-US FTA's and is concurrent with preparations for negotiating similar FTA's with Morocco and South Africa. A number of regional preferential trade negotiations are also being conducted by the US with countries in the Central America and South America area, as well as Asia ( in the form of the 'Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative'). The moves by the US have been identified by some commentators as indicative of a growing impatience of the USTR about the (slow) progress made within multilateral forums such as the WTO and WIPO in achieving the goals of the US copyright trade agenda. The rash of preferential trade instruments indicates a very specific US trade agenda in relation to copyright issues. In both the Chilean and Singaporean Free Trade Agreements the US have been able to secure extremely favourable terms that lean heavily towards copyright owner's interests. Those agreements set a high benchmark for future, perhaps more significant, trading partners in respect of copyright issues for example the EU or Japan, who are also big players in the copyright trade. Help save our Australian copyright balanceNow the AUSFTA negotiations have begun, it is especially important for the Australian libraries and information sector to be informed of the issues at stake. Continued fair and equitable access to copyright materials is not assured; we must be vocal and impress upon our Australian negotiators the importance of maintaining the balance between access and incentives in Australian copyright policy and legislation throughout the ensuing trade talks. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website has a Background Issues paper containing information on the broader aspects of AUSFTA at http://www.dfat.gov.au; an official 'de-brief' of the second round of negotiations concluded in May will also be available through the site. The ALCC and the ADA have made a joint submission to DFAT, which can be accessed at http://www.digital.org.au. DFAT has indicated that they are particularly interested in hearing from copyright user groups and representatives. Any input is welcome throughout the negotiations (to conclude at the end of the year) although it is urged that comments are submitted as early as possible.
Helen Roberts |
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