Some progress achieved at WIPO 33rd SCCR in Geneva

The 33^rd Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) was held from 14-18 November 2016 at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland.

The meeting deliberated upon the Treaty for the Protection of Broadcasting Organizations. The negotiations made some progress with the submission of document SCCR/33/5 titled, “Note on the Draft Treaty to Protect Broadcasting Organizations” submitted by the delegation of Argentina, Colombia and Mexico.

The ABU was represented at the WIPO by Dr Yan Bo (Deputy Director, Copyright and Legal Affairs Office CCTV – China and Chairperson of ABU IPLC), Masataka Hirano ( NHK  -Japan) , Mr. Nawaz Dookhee (ABU Legal Manager) and Ms. Seemantani Sharma (ABU Legal and Intellectual Property Services Officer). The ABU had a constructive meeting with the delegations of the Asia – Pacific Group, which is being headed by India for the time being. Further, active interventions were made during the SCCR deliberations on the Broadcasters Treaty by Dr Yan Bo on behalf of ABU.    

The SCCR also deliberated upon the issue of limitation and exceptions for libraries and archives and for educational and research institutions and for persons with other disabilities.

With the conclusion of the 33^rd SCCR, Mr Martin Moscoso Villacorta of Peru, who served as the Chair of the SCCR came to an end.  The next SCCR (34^th) will take place in May 2017.