TheSandBox's Journal: UN Proposal Discussion: "Universal Copyright/Patent Law"

This JE has been, for the moment, annulled. No voting will take place, and no more proposals should be posted until voting procedures have been set. This is only out of fairness; we can't ask people to vote if we haven't set the procedures yet? (except for the vote on voting, i guess...) - solemndragon

i think we need to have more discussion between refs before things get posted?

Description: UCPL- Universal Copyright/Patent Law

In it's current state, copyright law varies from country to country. It makes free trade more difficult, as the laws differ from nation to nation. As a representative of the Dominion of Anward, I realize my nation needs foreign trade to boost our economy. If we made a copyright/patent law that would apply to all countries there would be no 'gray area' and this would hopefully stimulate interest for countries to be more willing to trade between the nations of the United Nations. My proposal asks the following to be implemented:

1. Copyright/Patent Law be the same between all UN members.

2. Copyright/Patent organizations be modified to accommodate the number of requests for copyright. This should be done by establishing a new International Copyright Organization, with chapters in every capital. This agency would receive other chapters' copyrights, and send copyrights established in that country to all other chapters. With the Internet Age, this is a simple process.

3. With many different languages, a sub-agency should be established to correctly translate the copyright/patents, into each chapters native language.

4. An additional sub-agency be created to be informed of, and monitor all copyright/patent infringements. Reducing the need for the government to take the time to investigate the actions. A recommended course of action will then be reported, and a court of the nation of the offender make the ruling.

Voting Ends: Mon Jan 26 2004

Agencies over agencies

[sebi]

The core statement:

1. Copyright/Patent Law be the same between all UN members.

Sure, go ahead. We just might be forced to cease the exchange of ideas with UN member nations should this resolution come to pass. Don't let that influence you, though. Go crazy, hire hordes of translators and other clerks. I am especially delighted by the usage of the phrase "internet age" in this proposal, because we all know that all nations are equally "connected." Especially the poorer ones.

Mu

[gmhowell]

The People's Republic of Dissidentia do not recognize Copyrights, Patents, or other foolishness known as 'IP'. If you want to hide it, don't make a product. Or use explosive bolts to hold the item shut.

Re:Mu

[SiliconJesus]

The Incorporated States of Siliconia concur with the honorable representitive of The People's Republic of Dissidentia. Intellectual Property is illegal in our Country.

Re:Mu

[arb]

The Rogue Nation of Feckarewe does recognise patents and copyrights, but on our terms.

Patents must be for non-obvious, novel inventions and you better bloody well bring a working prototype. None of the "fishing expeditions" that other nations allow. If it later turns out that there is prior art for your patent both you and the patent examiner will be shot - no appeals. If you do not use the patent with 2 years (either by producing the products or licencing the patent to a third party) then it will expire.

Re:Mu

[bethanie]

Realizing that debate on this issue has been closed until voting procedures have been decided, Lubriscia wishes to add that "IP" laws are null and void in our nation, as well.

If all nations in the Backyard concur with this position, then we concur with those other nations.

Otherwise, tough titties!

....Bethanie....

Delegate vote

[turg]

Of course, each UN member nation gets their own vote and can make up their own mind how to spend it.

As the regional delegate, my vote is weighted by the number of endorsements I've received (so currently my vote counts for 13 votes), so the main thing I would like to see in this discussion is how the UN member nations would like to see me use this vote.

Note that none of this is relevant to nations who are not UN members.

The resolution as it stands avoids many of the hot-button issues in IP in the real wo

Vote For

[LPetrazickis]

The Free Land of Nude Loveins and LPetr has voted for this resolution.

We believe that copyrights should be limited to 14 years uniformly throughout the world, that circumvention of absurd protections be a universal right, that patents should be limited to 5 years and not apply to software/business methods/biotech.

WHO POSTED THIS?

[SolemnDragon]

We're not voting on ANYthing until the parliamentary procedure vote is over. This proposal is null and void until that entire debate is concluded with some form of procedure passed, and i know i haven't signed off on anything final yet!

Therefore, this proposal is NOT open to debate or vote.

solemndragon

Re:WHO POSTED THIS?

[gmhowell]

Clearly, it's open to debate. And it may even be open to a non-binding vote.

Of course, in Dissidentia, most votes are non-binding.

Re:WHO POSTED THIS?

[turg]

Okay, we have a misunderstanding here.

This is the proposal currently before the UN. I sent a telegram to all UN members in the region asking for their feedback and robi thought it would be useful to have a JE for UN members to discuss it in. This was not intended to apply to non-UN members but this wasn't clear in the way this was posted.

It would be quite useful for the region's UN members to have a JE in which to discuss the resolution up for vote before the UN each week. Especially to give guidance to t

Re:WHO POSTED THIS?

[SolemnDragon]

I'm comfortable with that. I think that there's some confusion over the 'discrepancy between UN and regional resolutions' thing, and i really don't want to confuse people. There were some people REALLY disappointed to see our region playing UN, even if our region doesn't have to abide by it. So i want to weigh everyone's concerns here.

I think we should talk with FK some more and see about setting up a site.

I'm against the proposal

[MonTemplar]

As it is written, it looks to me like the world stumping up to do the job of keeping the executives of the big corporations rolling in money.

-MT.