Press Links TRIPS Waiver March 22 https://tinyurl.com/PressPackTRIPS

Press can find a list of contacts at Press Links TRIPS Waiver March 22 https://tinyurl.com/PressPackTRIPS

Agenda for today: Why is a WTO waiver, and one including copyright, needed for the prevention, containment and treatment of COVID?Mustaqeem De Gama, Counsellor at the South African Mission in GenevaLuis Vilarroel, Corporacion Innvarte, former Vice Chair, WIPO SCCRWhy is access to copyright needed to research and develop treatments?Francisco Rossi, Director IFARMA FOUNDATIONPaul Schnase, Universities Allied for Essential MedicinesWhat is the role of open science in searching for COVID treatments?Anubha Sinha, CIS, IndiaWhat is text and data mining and how does copyright and licensing block uses that would be important to find treatments for COVID?Tiago Lubiana, Bioinformatics PhD candidate, University of São Paulo, BrazilWhy are emergency exceptions to copyright needed to promote social distancing in learning and access to knowledge?Dick Kawooya, Associate Professor, University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science, Public Advocacy Lead, EIFL

Stephen Wyber, IFLARina Pantalony, Columbia University Libraries (video)Are not voluntary measures by publishers sufficient?Teresa Hackett, EIFLWhy are copyright laws ill-fitted to promote education during the pandemicTeresa Nobre, CommuniaDenise Nicholson, Scholarly HorizonsWhat are the human right obligations of countries in relation to copyright and COVID?Beatriz Busaniche, Fundación Vía LibreSanya Samtani, Law Faculty, University of OxfordIn what ways are emergency rights to use digital products necessary for people with disabilities?Ntshavheni Netshituni, President, Blind SA

We may not get to all questions -- but the agenda may help folks identify experts on each topic. Feel free to DM them.

SA is one of the two countries to propose this Waiver at WTO, yet it has basically stalled the copyright reform process in South Africa itself. After 5 years' process, it was approved and sent to the President. The President sat on the Copyright Amendment Bill for 15 months and then after pressure from USTR and EU, as well as action taken by BlindSA, he sent the Bill back to Parliament for review. Parliament has met a few times but no direction or decisions have been taken and the Bill has not been scheduled for discussion in Parliament until at least mid-April. The Bill has been in Parliament for 9 months. There seems to be no action to expedite this matter. This action at home seems to be in direct contradiction to what SA is calling for at the international level. Mustaqeem de Gama, what are your views on this?

https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/FE_Search/FE_S_S009-DP.aspx?language=E&CatalogueIdList=260734,260735,260753,260679,260680,258943,257763,257753,257565,257576&CurrentCatalogueIdIndex=2&FullTextHash=&HasEnglishRecord=True&HasFrenchRecord=False&HasSpanishRecord=False

January 2020 - NTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST: THE WTO TRIPS AGREEMENT AND THE COPYRIGHT THREE-STEP TEST

A set of on the record statements and contacts for interviews is available at Press Statements and Contacts (statements + contact info)https://tinyurl.com/PressContactsTRIPS

It is also possible for the corporate owner of the copyrighted information to lodge an international investment claim, in addition any WTO claim launched by a host state.

Libraries in South Africa generally read books or extracts of other works in reading circles face-to-face, but in COVID lockdown, they were forced to get permission from rightsholders to read books on YouTube or other e-platforms.

ICOLC Statement on the Global COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Impact on Library Services and Resources, https://icolc.net/statement/statement-global-covid-19-pandemic-and-its-impact-library-services-and-resources

I cannot help noting that the whole problem is TRIPS. It should be abolished outright. However, if that is not feasible at present, then indeed a waiver should be agreed.

This is a problem for computational analysis of patent data, for legal researchers in public research institutions.

Thank you everyone! Signatories to the statement are invited to a short private Zoom reception. Please Register (signatories only) at: https://auwcl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwkdOyqpzgjGNQZo3mrxv8Y02gORLyRv_-n

Thank you for this excellent event.

Thanks so much. Where does this Waiver Statement go now?

Thank you very much for organising this event!

Thankyou for great discussion

Thanks for this insightful talk!

Thank you everyone!

thanks