COVID-19 Pauses Work on a WIPO Broadcasting Treaty

Progress on a treaty updating broadcasting protections was paused due to the pandemic at this past week's meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization's Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights. The mostly virtual SCCR meeting, chaired by newly appointed Chairman Aziz Dieng of Senegal, suffered from technical glitches and didn't address substantive issues. Conclusions noted the committee "took note of" a recap of the current document setting out proposed text on definitions, object of protection, rights to be granted and other issues, and of delegates' statements. "We are nothing closer (nor further away)" from a treaty, "and for the moment there is no new thinking," European Broadcasting Union Intellectual Property Head Heijo Ruijsenaars emailed us. "After 22 years, I'm still optimistic," he said at the webcast meeting. Talks now move to the next SCCR session, for which no date has been set, WIPO Copyright Law Division Director Michele Woods emailed us.