Re: WIPO COPYRIGHT TREATY AND WIPO PERFORMANCES AND PHONOGRAMSTREATY

["Denise Nicholson" <DeniseN@Library.Wits.ac.za>]

Hi,

South Africa has signed the above treaties but has not yet ratified them.
WIPO is hosting a 3 day workshop in Pretoria, South Africa, on 6-8
December 1999 to debate the issue.  Very little has been mentioned about
these Treaties until now.

To date only 9 countries (including the USA) have ratified the Copyright
Treaty and only 7 have signed that Performances and Phonograms Treaty.

Please could you let me know why so few countries have ratified these
Treaties to date.  What are the main concerns, particularly relating to
libraries, education and electronic media?

I look forward to hearing from anyone in this regard.

Thanks
Denise

Denise Nicholson (Mrs)
Copyright Services Librarian
University of the Witwatersrand, The Library
1 Jan Smuts Ave., Johannesburg 2001
Private Bag X1, WITS, 2050
Tel. No. +27 11 716-4446
Fax No. +27 11 403-8088
Email:  DeniseN@library.wits.ac.za
www.wits.ac.za/library/