WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR-18) – May 25th-29th, 2009

The SCCR-18 session focused on three primary issues: the proposed Broadcast Treaty, Exceptions and Limitations to Copyright, and Audiovisual (AV) Performance Protection. Negotiations on a Broadcast Treaty remain stalled due to disagreements over the scope of new intellectual property rights, while a treaty for the visually impaired (WBU Treaty) was officially proposed by Brazil, Ecuador, and Paraguay despite opposition from some industrialized nations and the publishing industry. Discussions on AV performance protection continue as the US and EU seek to harmonize rights despite differences over moral rights and the transfer of rights.

• Negotiations for a Broadcast Treaty have lasted ten years without consensus. Proponents argue it is necessary to "prevent piracy and/or the theft of signals," while opponents fear new intellectual property rights (IPRs) for distributing content would "hinder access to information" and negatively impact competition.
• At SCCR-18, Brazil, Ecuador, and Paraguay officially proposed the WBU Treaty to provide the visually impaired and other reading disabled persons (VIP) cross-border access to copyright-protected material. The African Group expressed support for VIP needs but wants the treaty to also include broader exceptions for "Education, Library Access, Research, and Technology Transfer."
• The United States opposes the need for a new WIPO treaty or norm-setting activities regarding Exceptions and Limitations, arguing that the "three-step test of the Berne Convention offers sufficient protection and flexibility."

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2009). WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR-18) – May 25th-29th, 2009. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/SCCR-18_Summary_Jun09.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR-18) – May 25th-29th, 2009. 2009. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/SCCR-18_Summary_Jun09.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR-18) – May 25th-29th, 2009 |date=2009 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/SCCR-18_Summary_Jun09.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2009wipo, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR-18) – May 25th-29th, 2009}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2009}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/SCCR-18_Summary_Jun09.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }