WIPO Broadcasters' Treaty

Public consultation on "Draft Non-paper on the WIPO Treaty on the Protection of Broadcasting Organisations" dated 8 March 2007

WIPO has distributed a draft Non-paper for public consultation. WIPO expects written comments from members on this draft Non-paper by 28 March 2007. This final version of the draft Non-paper will be the basis for discussion at the 2nd special session of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights which will be held in Geneva from 18 to 22 June 2007.

In view of the tight deadline for comments, the Commission is offering the possibility to interested parties to send in written observations electronically via this web page.

Ideally comments should reach the Commission by Friday 23 March 2007, but observations which arrive after that date will be read as useful contributions to the debate.

The text of the WIPO draft non-paper of 8 March 2007

The European Communities and its Member States are actively involved in the ongoing negotiations on the proposed WIPO Treaty on the protection of broadcasting organisations (WIPO Broadcasters' Treaty).

In this context, the EU has made several submissions which are accessible below. In addition, a public hearing on this issue was held in Brussels on 19 February 2007.

The purpose of the WIPO Broadcasters Treaty is to provide adequate protection against signal theft on an international level. In line with the decision of the WIPO General Assemblies of October 2006, work is currently focussed on drawing up an international instrument that protects the broadcasting organisation's programme-carrying signal from theft or other forms of unauthorised misappropriation.

WIPO Drafts

EU submissions

• Submission from the European Community and its Member States and the acceding States Bulgaria and Romania (20 July 2006)
  

• Submission from the European Community and its Member States - Definition on broadcasting (24 June 2003)
  

• Submission from the European Community and its Member States - Protection of the Rights of Broadcasting Organisations (03 October 2001)
  

Public Hearing - 19 February 2007

A public hearing, organised by the Commission, on the proposed WIPO Treaty on the protection of broadcasting organisations (WIPO Broadcasters' Treaty) was held in Brussels on 19 February 2006. This hearing gave broadcasters' and other stakeholders the opportunity to air their views on the objectives, specific scope and object of protection of a WIPO Broadcasters Treaty. The Consultation focussed on how to best arrive at a signal-based approach, in line with the decision taken at the WIPO General Assemblies in October 2006.