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On 30 August 1996, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) published the drafts of three treaties that are to be concluded at a diplomatic conference in Geneva which will take place from 2-20 December 1996. The first draft concerns an amended version of the Protocol to the Berne Convention which has been the subject of intense intergovernmental consultation during recent years. The Treaty would no longer have the status of a "protocol", because it would be open for adherence by States that are not member of the Berne Union. Also, the European Union, that has carried out the negotiations...

In its report dated 1 September 1996, the management consultancy KPMG presented the key findings of a study carried out under contract on behalf of the European Commission. The purpose of the study was to look into ways of achieving the European information society in practice. KPMG believes it is necessary to define a regulatory vision that supports market-led developments, and highlights key steps in the transition towards the information society. Starting points and targets are set out in five chapters. 1. Realising the information society. According to KPMG, an important consequence of convergence...

On 19.9.1996 the European Parliament adopted a Resolution on the Green Paper on copyright and related rights in the information society. It believes that a unified position of the European Union on the question of copyright law, and harmonisation of provisions are urgently needed, but it is also of the opinion that the topics covered in the Green Paper must be dealt with in greater depth. In particular, the European Parliament believes that the right balance must be found between defence of copyright law and proper consideration of the consumer. Problems could arise from the relationship between...

On 28 June 1996, five years after the break-up of the Soviet Union, the Verkhovna Rada - the Ukrainian Parliament - adopted a new Constitution by 315 votes (with 36 votes against and 12 abstentions). According to the new Constitution, the Head of State is the President, with governmental powers in the hands of the Prime Minister. The Crimean peninsula is given autonomous status, with provision for its own parliament and legislation. An important and particularly extensive part of the Constitution (Articles 21 to 68) deals with fundamental rights. Alongside basic fundamental rights, such as the...

A federal working party under the guidance of the Federal Office for Justice has published a report on a number of points of law arising in connection with worldwide data exchange on the Internet, which has developed enormously in recent years. The report provides an overview of matters of criminal law, data protection law and copyright, and makes a number of recommendations to access providers with a view to preventing the illegal misuse of data networks. This supports the efforts of the Internet branch to set up a code of conduct for Internet access providers. The working party does not envisage...