[P2P-F] Fwd: [fcf_discussion] Public comment draft of A2K amendments for UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection

[Michel Bauwens]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jeremy Malcolm <jeremy at ciroap.org>
Date: Wed, Jun 1, 2011 at 1:16 PM
Subject: [fcf_discussion] Public comment draft of A2K amendments for UN
Guidelines for Consumer Protection
To: a2k at lists.consumersinternational.org, governance at lists.cpsr.org,
ip at tacd.org, a2k at lists.keionline.org,
irp at lists.internetrightsandprinciples.org, copysouth at copysouth.org,
fcforum_discussion at list.fcforum.net


 A new international instrument on Access to Knowledge (A2K) could be in the
wings, with the first public release of a draft set of proposed amendments
to the United Nations Guidelines for Consumer Protection.  These
forward-looking A2K provisions are the culmination of months of online and
face-to-face collaboration by Consumers International members from around
the world.

The draft A2K amendments are now officially open for broader public comment
at http://A2Knetwork.org/guidelines.

The UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection, which recently celebrated their
25th year, are a "soft law" statement of principles for consumer protection
policy.  From this document, the global consumer movement has drawn its
eight consumer rights, which include the right to safety, the right to be
informed, the right to choose and the right to be heard.

In proposing A2K as the next area to be added to the Guidelines by the UN,
we have drafted amendments to:

   - Set minimum standards for essential copyright limitations and
   exceptions for consumers.
   - Stop suppliers from using technology to cripple digital products or
   unreasonably limit the ways in which consumers can use them.
   - Promote a permissive approach to copyright to facilitate non-commercial
   creativity by consumers.
   - Require that the dissemination of consumer safety information, and
   consumer-facing codes and standards, is free of copyright constraints.
    - Prohibit IP rights from being enforced in ways that trample on
   consumers' human rights.
   - Ensure that consumers retain access to their own data in formats that
   they can use, and that such data is projected against misuse.

Your input on the draft amendments is invited between now and 31 August
2011.  The online working space for the amendments allows you to browse the
Guidelines section by section, and to attach your comments to individual
paragraphs in a threaded fashion.  All comments will be taken into account
and responded to by the drafting committee.

We look forward to collaborating with you on this important initiative.

-- 

*Dr Jeremy Malcolm
Project Coordinator*
Consumers International
Kuala Lumpur Office for Asia-Pacific and the Middle East
Lot 5-1 Wisma WIM, 7 Jalan Abang Haji Openg, TTDI, 60000 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Tel: +60 3 7726 1599

Consumers International (CI) is the world federation of consumer groups
that, working together with its members, serves as the only independent and
authoritative global voice for consumers. With over 220 member organisations
in 115 countries, we are building a powerful international movement to help
protect and empower consumers everywhere.
*www.consumersinternational.org*
*Twitter @ConsumersInt <http://twitter.com/Consumers_Int>*

Read our email confidentiality
notice<http://www.consumersinternational.org/email-confidentiality>.
Don't print this email unless necessary.

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