Live event coverage, FMC 2010 (DC Policy Day) morning panel.  Live stream transmission.

Primer: The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is a proposed multilateral trade agreement for establishing international standards on intellectual property rights enforcement among participating countries. Supporters argue that this treaty is a crucial step in protecting intellectual property from counterfeiting and unauthorized distribution in an increasingly globalized, networked world. Critics contend that ACTA threatens to impose harsh restrictions on consumers, and that it could override sovereign nations’ copyright laws. Until recently, open debate was constricted by the confidential nature of negotiations, thus fomenting many rumors about the proposed terms of the agreement. FMC welcomes expert panelists to discuss the terms under consideration, which parties seek what outcomes, and the status of the multilateral deliberations.

Patricone: ‘We cannot support the act to text as it stands,’ points to rigorous copyright penalties ‘without exporting the exceptions’ for which our industry depends.  We are ‘big free traders,’ but ‘significant issues with AFTA as it stands.’

Eric J. Schwartz: Notes only speaking on his own behalf.  On a historical note on treaties, countries understand that treaties need updating.  Focus is often on law, not necessarily on enforcement.  In the music industry, debate not necessarily on law, but how to enforce the laws. 

Then, ‘nobody forces a country to enforce anything,’ and ‘sharing of information is often as important as the agreement itself’ to get good practices in place, ‘that is a lot of what is going on’. 

Currently ACTA ‘has a lot of bracketed text’ so saying what it will do ‘is a bit premature’ and ‘a lot of provisions yet to be’ firmed up.

Richard Bengloff: A2IM is supporting ACTA, and part of a ‘coalition that is supporting ACTA’. And ‘did not see final document until May when it was released.’