From: Manon Ress &lt;manon.ress(a)keionline.org&gt; Date: December 4, 2013 at 6:30:29 PM PST To: a2k discuss list &lt;a2k(a)lists.keionline.org&gt; Subject: [A2k] Sign-on Letter -- Against life + 70 year copyright term in the TPP From: Krista L. Cox &lt;krista.cox(a)keionline.org&gt; Date: Wed, Dec 4, 2013 at 9:09 PM Dear All, Here is a sign-on letter opposing a copyright term of life plus seventy years in the TPP. This will be a political issue at the TPP Ministerial in Singapore which begins on December 7. If you'd like to sign on, please send me an e-mail letting me know ASAP. Best, Krista http://keionline.org/nolifeplus70intpp This is sign-on Letter -- Against life+ 70 year copyright term in the TPP. See end of letter for details on how to sign. <-------------------begin letter----------- December 9, 2013 Dear TPP negotiators In a December 7-10 meeting in Singapore you will be asked to endorse a binding obligation to grant copyright protection for 70 years after the death of an author. We urge you to reject the life+ 70 year term for copyright. There is no benefit to society of extending copyright beyond the 50 years mandated by the WTO. While some TPP countries, like the USA, Mexico, Peru, Chile or Australia, already have life+ 70 (or longer) copyright terms, there is growing recognition that such terms were a mistake, and should be shortened, or modified by requiring formalities for the extended periods. The primary harm from the life+ 70 copyright term is the loss of access to countless books, newspapers, pamphlets, photographs, films, sound recordings and other works that are “owned” but largely not commercialized, forgotten, and lost. The extended terms are also costly to consumers and performers, while benefiting persons and corporate owners that had nothing to do with the creation of the work. Life+70 is a mistake, and it will be an embarrassment to enshrine this mistake into the largest regional trade agreement ever negotiated. Sincerely, ---------end letter--------> To sign, fill out this information and mailto:krista.cox@keionline.org Names __________________________ Organization (if any): _______________________ City, State and Country _______________________________________ Email Address: _____________________________________ Optional: Comments, if any on this issue (for an annex to the letter). -- Krista L. Cox Staff Attorney Knowledge Ecology International www.keionline.org (202) 332-2670 -- Manon Ress, Ph.D. Knowledge Ecology International, KEI manon.ress(a)keionline.org, tel.: +1 202 332 2670 www.keionline.org _______________________________________________ A2k mailing list A2k(a)lists.keionline.org http://lists.keionline.org/mailman/listinfo/a2k_lists.keionline.org