Author name: Justin Diamond

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_margin=”-85px|auto||auto||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”] COMMUNIA recently made a submission to a call for evidence on the evaluation of the Geo-blocking Regulation which the European Commission is set to review the rules for this year. This regulation governs geo-blocking, including for audiovisual services and copyright-protected works. The European Commission has not yet introduced measures to improve access to audiovisual content, and audiovisual services and copyright-protected works are currently exempted from the regulation. Background on the Geo-blocking Regulation and additional information on COMMUNIA’s proposal to provide EU consumers with an opportunity to stream publicly funded content that is otherwise unavailable in their region against the payment of a fee are further detailed in a recent blogpost on COMMUNIA’s site by Justus Dreyling, which is included below: This week, COMMUNIA made a submission to a call for evidence on the evaluation of the Geo-blocking Regulation (available as a PDF file). The European Commission is set to review the rules for geo-blocking, including for audiovisual services and copyright-protected works, this year. After the stakeholder dialogue on access to and availability of audiovisual works has failed to deliver any meaningful change, we call on the Commission to use this opportunity to finally introduce measures to improve access to audiovisual content across the Union. The Geo-blocking Regulation was adopted in 2018 with the aim of promoting the internal market by improving access to goods and services for individuals. Audiovisual services and copyright-protected works were notably exempted from the regulation. As a result, most audiovisual content produced in the EU remains inaccessible to European citizens. COMMUNIA has called on the co-legislators on multiple occasions to consider broadening the scope of the regulation to include audiovisual services and copyrighted content or at least improve the conditions for audiovisual content that has received public funding for its production or distribution. As part of this submission, we renew our proposal for a model project based on a European transactional video of demand (TVOD) platform in order to provide EU consumers with an opportunity to stream publicly funded content that is otherwise unavailable in their region against the payment of a fee (PDF file). [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

On March 19, 2025, a side event will take place during the regular WTO TRIPS Council session, organized by Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, India, and Pakistan. The event will review 30 years of the TRIPS agreement, focusing on its history, national experiences, and impact on public interest and development in member countries. Key segments include a historical overview by Carlos Correa of the South Centre, a discussion on national experiences, and a panel featuring experts from academia and civil society. Virtual participation will be available – for full details, please see the original article published by Knowledge Ecology International below: Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, India, and Pakistan to convene WTO TRIPS Council Side event – 30 Years of TRIPS: Expectations and Concerns of Developing Countries Update: On Tuesday, 11 March 2025, the World Trade Organization published an addendum (IP/C/W/718/Add.1) which stated: “By means of a communication dated 10 March 2025, the delegation of Pakistan has requested to be added to the list of sponsors of the submission circulated in document IP/C/W/718.” On Monday, 10 March 2025, the World Trade Organization (WTO) published a communication (IP/C/W/718) from Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, and India entitled: “IP and Public Interest – Intellectual Property For Development Group – Side Event: 30 Years of TRIPS: Expectations and Concerns of Developing Countries”. The cover note to the submission notes: “The informal group of countries known as “Intellectual Property (IP) for Development” plans to host an informal side event, on the margins of the regular TRIPS Council session on the afternoon on 19 March, one day before the TRIPS Council session of the 20 and 21 March 2025. The signing Members invite delegates and experts to an initial discussion to reflect on the history of the TRIPS negotiations, 30 years after their conclusion” (Source: IP/C/W/718). The convenors will enable virtual participation; a link will be provided. The group has signalled their intent to promote “a discussion on its evolution and impact will help to improve the available information, providing valuable insights and reflections for assessing the expectations of developing countries and the outcomes of implementation of TRIPS” (Ibid). The hybrid event will take place on Wednesday, 19 March 2025 from 13:00 CET to 16:30 CET in Room S1 of the World Trade Organization. Carlos Correa, Executive Director of the South Centre will provide a history of the TRIPS negotiations including the context, main actors, and the process of the negotiations during the first segment from 14:00 to 14:30 CET. Section 2 of the side event will focus on national experiences; this panel will feature Celso Amorim and Jayashree Watal and will run from 14:30 to 15:15 CET. Celso Amorim is currently Chief Advisor to the President of Brazil for Foreign Policy. Jayashree Watal is currently Visiting Professor at the National Law University, Delhi and an Adjunct Professor at the Georgetown University Law Center. Section 3 of the side event will a panel comprised of experts including Joshua Sarnoff, Raymond P. Niro Professor of Intellectual, Property Law, DePaul College of Law (online), James Love, Director of Knowledge Ecology International (KEI)- (in-person), Ellen ‘t Hoen, Director of Medicines Law & Policy, (in-person), Sean Flynn, Director of the Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property, American University (in-person), and Sangeeta Shashikant Third World Network –TWN- (in-person). Section 3 will run from 15:15 to 16:15 CET.