New ACTA Leak: U.S., et.al Do Not Support Transparency

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Richard Forno <rforno () infowarrior org>
> Date: February 25, 2010 10:09:57 AM EST
> To: Undisclosed-recipients: <>;
> Cc: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
> Subject: New ACTA Leak: U.S., et.al Do Not Support Transparency

> New ACTA Leak: U.S., Korea, Singapore, Denmark Do Not Support  
> Transparency
> Thursday February 25, 2010
>
> http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/4819/125/
>
> Throughout the debate over ACTA transparency, many countries have  
> taken public positions that they support release of the actual text,  
> but that other countries do not.  Since full transparency requires  
> consensus of all the ACTA partners, the text simply can't be  
> released until everyone is in agreement.  Of course, those same  
> countries hasten to add that they can't name who opposes ACTA  
> transparency, since that too is secret.
>
> No longer. In an important new leak from the Netherlands (Dutch,  
> Google English translation), a Dutch memorandum reporting back on  
> the Mexico ACTA negotiation round names names, pointing specifically  
> to which countries support releasing the text and which do not (note  
> that the memo does not canvass everyone - Australia, and New Zealand  
> are known to support transparency but are not named in the memo).   
> According to the Dutch memo, Canada has played a lead role in making  
> the case for full disclosure of the documents.  Within Europe, the  
> UK has been actively pushing for transparency and is of the view  
> that there is consensus for release of the text (there is support  
> from many countries including the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland,  
> Ireland, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, and Austria).  However, the memo  
> indicates that several countries are not fully supportive including  
> Belgium, Portugal, Germany, and Denmark.  Of these four countries,  
> the Dutch believe that Denmark is the most inflexible on the issue.
>
> Outside of the Europe, the memo identifies three problem countries.   
> While Japan is apparently supportive, both South Korea and Singapore  
> oppose ACTA transparency.  Moreover, the U.S. has remained silent on  
> the issue, as it remains unconvinced of the need for full  
> disclosure.  In doing so, it would appear that the U.S. is perhaps  
> the biggest problem since a clear position of support might be  
> enough to persuade the remaining outliers.
>
> The memo also provides additional new information on the substance  
> of the Mexico meeting.  It confirms that countries are still not  
> willing to make significant concessions.  The countries are closing  
> in on agreement on the border measures chapter, but are finding  
> disagreements on civil enforcement due to differing legal systems.   
> There is still no agreement on transit shipments or exports, nor on  
> the scope of the treaty (EU continuing to push for broader coverage).
>
> This is an important leak, since it provides at least one  
> perspective on who remains a barrier to ACTA transparency.  Given  
> the information, Canadians should be pleased with the position taken  
> by its government, while those in the U.S., South Korea, Singapore,  
> Belgium, Portugal, Germany, and Denmark should be demanding answers  
> from their leaders.



-------------------------------------------
Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now
RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/
Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com