From: PatchA (patcha AT jinbo.net)

Dear all,

Finally, the full text of Korea US FTA was released last Friday. (http://www.mofat.go.kr/mofat/fta/eng/eng_list.htm)

It has many poisonous articles. We are very worried about the IPR chapter and the confirmation letters of IPR have very dangerous things which the former US FTA didn't have.

For examples, both governments agree on the objective of shutting down the internet sites that permit unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or transmission of copyright works. Korean government are shutting down even P2P service and webhard service.

I think most of the internet sites including portal, UCC/UGC, blog sites etc. can be shut down by the government.

And it also includes strong enforcement activities on book printing
on university campuses.

If this Korea US FTA is passed, then the US will request other countries to include these things in the following FTA. So it needs to have international solidarity activities to stop this kind of US FTA.

Please check below and we welcome of your criticizing opinions or statement to this IP chapter of Korea US FTA. We will post it to our struggle website (http://nofta-ip.jinbo.net)

And please forward it to other people world-wide.

Korean Alliance Against the Korea-U.S. FTA and social organizations
will have a press conference about the problem of IPR chapter of
Korea US FTA on Monday(May 28th).

In soldarity,
patcha

============================
Kim Jeong Woo (PatchA)
Korean Progressive Network 'Jinbonet'
Tel) +82-2-701-7687
Fax) +82-2-701-7112
Web) http://www.jinbo.net
Email) i AT patcha.jinbo.net / patcha AT patcha.jinbo.net
============================

(more below)

Dear Friends, Momentum for public access to publicly funded research reached a height last month with the celebration of a National Day of Action by students across the U.S. and the presentation of over 21,000 individual and organizational signatures to the European Union's Commissioner for Science and Research. To build on this momentum, several leading American organizations - representing libraries, health groups, students, and consumers - are jointly supporting a Petition for Public Access to Publicly Funded Research in the United States.

This morning at UCLA there was a great talk by Nagla Rizk from American University of Cairo on "The Music Industry in the Arab World." She's an economist, and wanted to get a grasp on the real structure of the musical economy in Egypt. She and her team interviewed musicians and others involved in the musical economy, both the pop star system and the underground (informal) musicians.

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Enter the Down with DRM video contest for a chance to win a Neuros
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The French Association of Audionautes (ADA), the StopDRM collective, and the 160,000 signatories of the European Copyright Directive petition organized a march in Paris to denounce the new French DADVSI Copyright Bill that is currently being examined at the Senate. Read more at the ADA Blog.

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From EFF: Your Senator Needs an iPod - IPac starts a campaign to bring modern, innovative technology into the hands of Senators--so they'll know first hand what the flag laws could do to interoperability and fair use. [EFF miniLinks]

Excerpt from ICTSD report on Hong Kong WTO Ministerial: "Peru, Kenya and India have submitted proposals for draft text on the relationship between the Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Peru simply suggested intensifying discussions on prior proposals made by a group of developing countries led by India, Brazil and Peru on requiring patent applicants to disclose the origin of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as well as provide evidence of prior informed consent and benefit-sharing. The Kenyan text would narrow down work on the TRIPS-CBD relationship to "disclosure, prior informed consent and benefit sharing relating to inventions based on biological/genetic resources and/or traditional knowledge." This work should be completed by 30 November 2006. The most strongly worded proposal, put forward by India, would require the TRIPS Council to recommend an amendment to the TRIPS Agreement making it mandatory to disclose origin and provide evidence of prior informed consent and benefit-sharing. The US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia strongly resisted these proposals."

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From IP Watch: Interview With WIPO Deputy Director General Rita Hayes - Member governments of the UN World Intellectual Property Organisation at their 26 September to 5 October General Assemblies agreed on a way to proceed with negotiations for a treaty on broadcasters’ rights. They will prepare a “basic proposal,” or draft negotiating text, during 2006 with an eye toward holding a ... [IP Watch]