As delegate, I hold the tie breaking vote, and won't be voting on this resolution unless there is a tie.

UCPL
A resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce.


Category: Free Trade Strength: Significant Proposed by: Anward
Description: UCPL- Universal Copyright/Patent Law

In it's current state, copyright law varies from country to country. It makes free trade more difficult, as the laws differ from nation to nation. As a representative of the Dominion of Anward, I realize my nation needs foreign trade to boost our economy. If we made a copyright/patent law that would apply to all countries there would be no 'gray area' and this would hopefully stimulate interest for countries to be more willing to trade between the nations of the United Nations. My proposal asks the following to be implemented:

1. Copyright/Patent Law be the same between all UN members.

2. Copyright/Patent organizations be modified to accommodate the number of requests for copyright. This should be done by establishing a new International Copyright Organization, with chapters in every capital. This agency would receive other chapters' copyrights, and send copyrights established in that country to all other chapters. With the Internet Age, this is a simple process.

3. With many different languages, a sub-agency should be established to correctly translate the copyright/patents, into each chapters native language.

4. An additional sub-agency be created to be informed of, and monitor all copyright/patent infringements. Reducing the need for the government to take the time to investigate the actions. A recommended course of action will then be reported, and a court of the nation of the offender make the ruling.

My thoughts are that this resolution, while well intentioned, is out of bounds.

An international protocol on Intellectual Property is a good idea.

however, to state that the laws be "the same" in each country is overstepping the UN's role.

Instead, the UN should be passing resolutions that set out basic parameters, allowing enforcement up to each individual nation - this would allow different laws.

Case in point, you can get a patent on a genetically modified mammal in the US, but not in Canada - there are ethical reasons for this on each side of the border. Another issue is the patenting of genes. Also, the exact mechanisms for receiving a patent vary for cultural reasons around the globe. Forcing one mechanism around the world will defeat some cultural purposes.

This resolution would have been much better if it listed basic principles defining Intellectual Property and rights to be given to holders of Intellectual Property, and left the actual "law and enforcement" part to each nation.

This resolution once again just goes too far in meddling in the affairs of nations, IMHO. The author took a great idea, then ruined it by going too far in restricting what nations can do.

That's the view from Bweezystan.

An Announcement from the Foriegn Office of the Boards of Canada.

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This resolution claims to be in favour of fair trade.

In practice it would ruin less well off UN Member Nations. In the real world it is the poorer countries that often ignore copywrite and patent laws. Usually because they have to.

In practice what we would see with this law is an increase in the strangle hold the first world has over the third.

"Copywrite" and "Patent" and First World concepts. Passing resolutions like this would give first world UN Nations enormous economic advantages over the third world.

For one, it would make it very difficult for third world nations to come into line with UN resolutions, effectively barring their entry to the organisation.

When the UN Copywrite body goes in to inspect and finds huge collections of illegally copied software and music they will take UN Sanctioned action. They may be shutting down a black market operation, but it is a black market that constitutes an income in countries where they may be little else for them.

It is not going to help the less well off. In this world the less well off don't hold copywrites and patents.

We are against.

I'm against, doesn't do much anyways.

Note, this one closes January 26th (Wayne Gretzky's birthday...). I'll place my vote either late at night on the 25th or early on the 26th. Please vote on this one before then.

I agree with bob. This resolution doesn't have much to it.

Agreeing with the others, such a resolution is to broad for the UN to handle. A separate governing body to handle copyright cases? There would be too much red tape and insignificant claims would bog down the system. The proposal is inefficient.

I vote against the proposal.

The resolution "UCPL" was passed, 11198 votes to 8149, and implemented in all UN member nations.