Re: WIPO COPYRIGHT TREATY AND WIPO PERFORMANCES AND PHONOGRAMSTREATY

["Lesley Ellen Harris" <lesley@copyrightlaws.com>]

Before a country can ratify either of these WIPO treaties, their own
copyright laws must already be in compliance with the provisions in either
treaty.  Amending copyright laws as you know can take many years and
especially when countries are amending them in relation to a "non-static"
things such as digital media and the Internet, there is probably even
greater work both substantively and politically in amending the laws.

Re libraries and schools, the ongoing debate of the balance between
copyright owners and users once again arises -- when should owners have
complete control over their works...and when should laws override this
control by allowing certain free uses for instance for educational purposes.

Hope that's helpful.

Lesley Ellen Harris
Copyright, New Media Law & Ecommerce

lesley@copyrightlaws.com
Tel.:  202.422.7221

Please email lehletter@copyrightlaws.com if you want to
be kept informed about copyright, new media law &
ecommerce news.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Denise Nicholson" <DeniseN@Library.Wits.ac.za>
To: <Liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Sunday, November 21, 1999 9:44 AM
Subject: Re: WIPO COPYRIGHT TREATY AND WIPO PERFORMANCES AND
PHONOGRAMSTREATY

> 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/