Public Knowledge and Michael Geist Tell USTR To Keep Canada Off The Intellectual Property Watch List
Public Knowledge and Michael Geist Tell USTR To Keep Canada Off The Intellectual Property Watch List
Public Knowledge and Michael Geist Tell USTR To Keep Canada Off The Intellectual Property Watch List

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    Canada does
    not belong on the so-called “Watch List” compiled by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to single out countries deemed weak in intellectual
    property protection, Public Knowledge and Prof. Michael Geist said in a filing
    with the agency.

    PK
    and Geist, a noted Canadian copyright authority, said in their comments in the
    “Special 301” proceeding that Canadian laws are sometimes stronger
    than those in the U.S.  According
    to the filing,

    1. Canadian
    laws provide strong rights to all copyright owners, including U.S. copyright
    owners.

    2. Canadian
    copyright limitations and exceptions are similar to those in the U.S. and are
    frequently narrower and less flexible than those in the U.S.

    3. Canadian
    laws provide effective enforcement mechanisms.

    4. Canadian
    authorities diligently enforce copyrights.

    5. Proposed
    law reform in Canada would not jeopardize the adequacy of protection

    available to U.S. rights holders.

    Putting Canada on the special Watch List “would only lead to undermining the
    legitimacy of the Special 301 process,” PK and Geist said.

     

    The
    filing is available here. http://www.publicknowledge.org/2012-special-301-comments