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IFPI Links Canada - EU Free Trade Negotiations With Copyright Reform

By Michael Geist

On the day that Canada and the European Union officially announced talks to strike a comprehensive free trade agreement, the IFPI, the international arm of the RIAA and CRIA, used the opportunity to pressure Canada to engage in copyright reform.  In fact, in short commentary in European Voice, IFPI Executive Vice President Frances Moore suggested that the copyright reforms should happen before free trade talks begin.  Moore sings out of the USTR songbook by stating that:

Canada has one of the world's highest levels of internet piracy and one of the weakest IP enforcement systems. The country suffers from serious legislative deficiencies and a lack of engagement by its enforcement authorities.

The piece concludes by stating that without copyright reforms, "trade agreements will be of little value."

Full post as published by Michael Geist on May 07, 2009 (boomark / email).