WIPO's Copyright Committee meets again today for its 16th session. When last we were here, the topic of discussion was the Broadcast Treaty. While last year's discussions ended in a delay of the treaty, it's still on the agenda, along with its potential to radically alter the state of US copyright law. However, it shares this place on the agenda with a treaty on audiovisual performances, which has remained on the table for a number of years after a diplomatic conference on the topic failed to reach agreement.
Right now the agenda for the 16th session is as follows:
- Opening of the session
- Election of a Chair and two Vice-Chairs
- Adoption of the agenda of the sixteenth session
- Adoption of the Report of the second special session of the Standing Committee
- Protection of audiovisual performances
- Protection of broadcasting organizations
- Exceptions and limitations
- Future work of the Committee
- Other matters
- Closing of the session
It's now 12:30 on the first day, and we've only just begun the second item—the public session has consisted entirely of the opening and the mention that regional coordinators will be discussing the election and its process privately. It’s just been announced that more discussion is necessary, so nothing substantive will be done until after 2:30 this afternoon. In the meantime,
Some links to background discussion of the leadership question from KEI and Michael Geist.