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Two 1996 treaties negotiated under the auspices of the World
Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the WIPO Copyright Treaty
(WCT) and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT) update
international copyright standards for the Internet era. These two WIPO
"Internet" Treaties lay the groundwork for the healthy expansion of
electronic commerce in countries that ratify them, including the
possibility of more and better jobs, more secure and diversified
economies, and greater social and cultural advancement. The WCT entered
into force on March 6, 2002, and the WPPT entered into force on May 20,
2002. Currently 90 countries have ratified the WCT and the WPPT.
To view a full list of countries
which have deposited their instruments to these WIPO treaties,
click here
to see IIPA’s scorecard.
The importance of ratification and
deposit of the WCT and WPPT for a country's economy and culture
cannot be overstated. For instance:
- Electronic commerce can help
overcome existing barriers to access to scientific, medical and
technical data, educational materials, and technical and
productivity software. Trade in these vital resources, needed
for prosperity and competitive advantage in the Information Age,
will be much cheaper, more efficient, and easier in a digital
networked marketplace.
- Electronic commerce can help attract
higher and more consistent levels of foreign direct investment in
high technology and information-intensive businesses. A host
of service, processing and other functions can conveniently be
out-sourced, which in turn will enhance the skills and opportunities
of a country's citizenry.
- Electronic commerce can help build
stronger economic, social, and cultural links in the region, without
regard to geographic proximity.
- Electronic commerce can provide an
enormous boost to a country's cultural and creative industries.
Through digital networks, that country's music, art, literature, and
folklore can reach new markets throughout the world, and be
delivered directly to paying customers around the globe.
To fully implement
the WIPO Internet Treaties, countries will need to upgrade their
copyright laws, whether through minor changes or more substantial
revisions. When implementation is complete, each country will have:
- Protections against the unlawful
circumvention of effective technologies
(both copy controls
and access controls) that right holders use to
prevent theft of their creations.
- Protections against the unlawful
tampering with tags and codes associated with copies of protected
works and phonograms that are used to facilitate legitimate
distribution and licensing.
- Recognition of extended or clarified
rights for copyright owners: for example, a right to control
distribution of copies of creations, and a right to control
communications of a work, including the "making available" of a work
or phonogram to the public in an interactive manner.
- Harmonized protections (through
implementation of the WPPT) for the rights of performers and
producers of phonograms.
For more information on WIPO and the
text of these treaties, visit the WIPO website at
http://www.wipo.int. |
