Copyright Issues in the TPP in Vietnam

August 9, 2012-The Economist: Internet freedom in Vietnam: An odd online relationship (links to economist.com)

 

June 23, 2012-Viet Tan: Internet Watchdogs on the Region (links to viettan.org)

 

April 13, 2012-CNSNews: Vietnam Mulls Rules That Would Compel Facebook, Google to Censor Data (links to cnsnews.com)

April 11, 2012-Viet Tan: Vietnamese authorities mandate Google, Facebook and other Internet companies to assist in online censorship (links to viettan.org)

Vietnam

According to leaked TPP text on copyright limitations and exceptions, Vietnam has supported a position that pushes for greater use of flexibilities and a more balanced approach to copyright. Vietnam along with New Zealand, Malaysia, Chile and Brunei have proposed that each party have the ability to provide for limitations and exceptions to copyrights and legal protections for technological protection measures and rights management information in accordance with its domestic laws and international commitments.

[NZ/CL/MY/BN/VN propose; AU/US oppose93: 1. Each party may provide for limitations and exceptions to copyrights, related rights, and legal protections for technological protections measures and rights management information included in this Chapter, in accordance with its domestic laws and relevant international treaties that each are party to.]
...

[NZ/CL/MY/BN/VN propose; US/AU oppose: Paragraph 1 permits a party to carry forward and appropriately extend into the digital environment limitations and exceptions in its domestic laws. Similarly, these provisions permit a Party to devise new] [US/AU propose; NZ/CL/MY/BN/VN oppose: its understood that each party may, consistent with the foregoing, adopt or maintain] exceptions and limitations for the digital environment.]

--Excerpt from leaked TPP text on copyright limitations & exceptions




Letters and Statements


Letter from the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry to the USTR about the IP Chapter in the TPP (August 31, 2012)

 
"However, on receipt of leaked Intellectual Properties (IP) Chapter Draft, we suddenly learnt that this TPP could impose challenges that might not be overcome and thus cause adverse and terrible impacts on a considerable and fragile part of Vietnam's population. Presumed to bring further benefits to only a few IP right holders, the current Draft could also harm American consumer, although their incomes and living-standards are much higher than Vietnamese's."

-- From the VCCI letter to USTR

"NO extension of copyright terms nor copyright protection scope (to technological protection measures--TPMs): Drafted measures seeking for copyright term extension shall on one hand adversely and directly affect the cost and knowledge-access of the public, and do harm to individual freedom (of people using legally copyrighted items) in any countries on the other hand. In Vietnam, a backward developping country with high demand for the world diversed knowledge to develop, these impacts cannot be negliged."

--Recommended proposal from VCCI letter to USTR



*The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) is a non-governmental organization representing  47 entities in Vietnam




The TPP Will Also Affect Access to Medicines and Innovation in Vietnam: Find out more

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