Delay Expected In House Vote On Wipo Treaties

WASHINGTON, D.C.‹Lingering concerns over online infringement and other issues will likely postpone House passage of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act until after this month's congressional recess.
The U.S. bill, which would implement the international treaties adopted in 1996 by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), was passed by the full Senate May 14 and by the House Judiciary Committee, which oversees intellectual property issues, April 1.
In addition to concerns over on-line service provider contributory infringement and liability, the chairmen of several committees want to review the bill's library fair-use provisions before sending it to the House floor.
Furthermore, the chairmen of the House Commerce Committee, which oversees trade issues, and the House Ways and Means Committee, which has budget authorization authority, want to give the bill a once-over before sending it to the House floor.
Because they are not self-executing, the two WIPO treaties, one covering the status of sound recordings and the other updating copyright protection, must be ratified by 30 countries before they become effective. Although 50 countries signed the treaty agreement in Geneva, Switzerland, in December 1996, only the Republic of Moldova and Indonesia have completed this process.
In the U.S., parties affected by the WIPO treaties have been wrestling for leverage in negotiations for nearly three years. U.S. ratification will have a great influence on the actions of other nations, according to Darrell Pantheire, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry's legal executive overseeing the WIPO treaties matter.
In the European Union, a Copyright Directive now passing through the political arena states that all EU nations plus the EU itself must ratify the WIPO treaties simultaneously‹a slow process (Billboard, Nov. 22, 1997). Furthermore, nations on the EU's eastern border have stated that they will not ratify until the EU has done so.
In other Washington music industry news, several original members of classic rock'n'roll and soul music groups were to appear at a hearing May 21 to request new legislation that would protect artists against imposter "knockoff" groups.
Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Sam Moore of Sam & Dave, Bill Cunningham of the Box Tops, Herb Reed of the Platters, Charlie Thomas of the Drifters, and Joe Terry of Danny & the Juniors are among the artists expected to appear. The artists will ask lawmakers to modify outmoded provisions in the Lanham Act of 1947 that allow bogus groups to represent the original hitmakers. Legislation is expected to be introduced after the May recess.