Member States Block Pirate Parties’ WIPO Application
Pirate Parties International (PPI) – the international pirate party NGO – was denied an observing member status at the World intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
Last year the PPI applied for a membership so it would be able to participate in WIPO meetings and discuss future copyright policies.
However, several member states, including the United States, have objected to this request.
“By denying PPI’s observer membership application, WIPO has made it obvious that it is not interested in an open debate that includes all players of civil society, but would rather embrace the copyright industry lobbyists,” PPI’s Co-Chairman Gregory Engels responds to the decision.
WIPO currently has around 250 observing members, many of which have a strong pro-copyright agenda.
“The WIPO is accepting NGOs as observer members in order to get a full picture on the topics it is covering. There are many organizations representing the copyright industries, and very few representing other parts of society,” Engels notes.
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