This is the latest edition of Baker & McKenzie's column on recent developments in EC law relating to IP, IT and
Telecommunications. This article is updated for each edition of this Journal to reflect those developments on a European level which are considered important for practitioners, students and academics in a wide range of information technology, E-commerce, telecommunications and intellectual property areas. It cannot be exhaustive but intends to address the important points. For clarity, developments are not always kept on the table once finalised, readers should revert to earlier issues/academic texts for legislation which is more than 6 months old. This is a hard copy reference guide, but links to outside web sites are included where possible. No responsibility is assumed for the accuracy of information contained in these links.
EU DEVELOPMENTS IN IP, IT AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS LAW
A. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
1. Copyright
Copyright directive: D Di ir re ec ct ti iv ve e o on n C Co op py yr ri ig gh ht t a an nd d R Re el la at te ed d R Ri ig gh ht ts s i in n t th he e I In nf fo or rm ma at ti io on n S So oc ci ie et ty y h ha as s n no ot t y ye et t b be ee en n a ap pp pr ro ov ve ed d. . T Th he e p pr re es se en nt t d dr ra af ft t i in nc co or rp po or ra at te es s t tw wo o a ar re ea as s w wh hi ic ch h a ar re e u un nd de er r m mu uc ch h f fu ur rt th he er r d di is sc cu us ss si io on n: : Article 5 (exceptions to the exclusive rights of reproduction and communication to the public, including the making available right which is specific to the Digital Age) and Article 6 (protection of technological measures against circumvention) of the proposal: . W WI IP PO O t tr re ea at ty y: : T Th he e E Eu ur ro op pe ea an n C Co ou un nc ci il l h ha as s a ap pp pr ro ov ve ed d, , o on n b be eh ha al lf f t th he e E Eu ur ro op pe ea an n C Co om mm mu un ni it ty y, , t th he e W WI IP PO O C Co op py yr ri ig gh ht t a an nd d t th he e W Wi ip po o P Pe er rf fo or rm ma an nc ce es s a an nd d P Ph ho on no og gr ra am ms s T Tr re ea at ti ie es s ( (2 20 00 00 0 O OJ J L L 8 89 9/ /0 09 9) ). . T Th he e p pr ro op po os sa al l f fo or r a ap pp pr ro ov va al l h ha as s t ta ak ke en n o ov ve er r t tw wo o y ye ea ar rs s t to o b be e f fi in na al ll ly y a ac ct ti io on ne ed d. . Transborder satellite broadcasting: Proposal for a Council Decision (1996 OJ C164/3) approving the Council of Europe Convention relating to Copyright and Neighbouring rights in the frame of transborder broadcasting by satellite. Note that the progress of this proposal depends on the progress of the Draft Copyright Directive.