subject was: Spanish website blocking law implemented Canadian public consultation on TPP closes February 14, 2012. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans_Pacific_Partnership Is WMF and/or WM-CA intending to submit their views? How can we help!? Do we have a list of submissions to govt.by the Wikimedia community? e.g. there was an EU submission last year, and here is a WM-AU one http://www.wikimedia.org.au/wiki/Submission_on_Australian_Digital_Future_Di… -- John Vandenberg DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE CONSULTATIONS ON POTENTIAL FREE TRADE AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS WITH TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP MEMBERS The Government of Canada is seeking the views of Canadians on the scope of possible free trade negotiations between Canada and Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) members, which include - Australia - Brunei Darussalam - Chile (see footnote 1)<http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2011/2011-12-31/html/notice-avis-eng.html#1> - Malaysia - New Zealand - Peru (see footnote 2)<http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2011/2011-12-31/html/notice-avis-eng.html#2> - Singapore - United States (see footnote 3)<http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2011/2011-12-31/html/notice-avis-eng.html#3> - Vietnam Additional countries have also expressed their interest in consultations on joining the discussions: - Japan - Mexico (see footnote 4)<http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2011/2011-12-31/html/notice-avis-eng.html#4> This notice is part of the Government of Canada’s domestic consultation process with business, citizen-based organizations and individual Canadians, as well as with provincial and territorial governments, to obtain advice and views on priorities, objectives and concerns to help outline the parameters of this initiative. Background The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a free trade agreement under negotiation to liberalize trade in the Asia-Pacific region. Nine countries are currently participating in the negotiations: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam and the United States. Japan and Mexico have recently announced their intentions to begin consultations to join the TPP. With the participation of Canada, Mexico and Japan, the TPP would represent a market of more than 775 million people and a combined GDP of $25.7 trillion (or US$24.9 trillion) — a market larger than the European Union. The intent of TPP negotiators is to create an ambitious, high-standard regional free trade agreement that covers a wide range of areas related to trade and investment. On November 12, 2011, leaders of the TPP member countries meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum announced the achievement of a broad outline of an agreement that would enhance trade and investment, promote innovation, economic growth and development, and create and sustain jobs. Nine rounds of negotiations have taken place. Following review of the November 2011 outline released by TPP members, Canada notes the high degree of complementarity between what is being pursued in the TPP and the approach Canada takes in its own trade negotiations. Additional information on the TPP can be found at www.ustr.gov/tpp (in English only). Submissions by interested parties The Government is embarking on a public consultation process to allow all interested stakeholders an early opportunity to provide comments, input and advice on possible free trade negotiations with TPP countries (current nine members and other interested countries: Japan and Mexico). It is essential that the Government of Canada be fully aware of the interests and potential sensitivities of Canadians with respect to this initiative. We welcome advice and views on any priorities, objectives and concerns relating to possible free trade negotiations with TPP countries. In particular, we are seeking views with respect to the following: - Opinions on areas of goods export interest (identified by Harmonized System [HS]/Tariff codes, if possible), including products that would benefit from the early removal of tariffs and other barriers by TPP countries. - Views on market access liberalization for TPP countries products (identified by HS/Tariff codes, if possible) into the Canadian market, including input on those products for which the elimination of tariffs should be expedited or phased-in over time. - Advice and views on trade in services, particularly the identification of sectors/activities of export interest for Canadian service providers, and opinions on domestic regulatory measures that restrict or otherwise affect market access for Canadian service providers. - Advice, views and experiences regarding the temporary entry of business persons from Canada into TPP countries and into Canada from TPP countries (e.g. impediments to entering or working in TPP countries on a temporary basis, including licensing or certification requirements at the border). - Advice, views and experiences regarding measures affecting exports destined for TPP countries, including non-tariff barriers (such as import licensing), technical barriers to trade (including technical regulations, standards and/or conformity assessment procedures) and sanitary and phytosanitary measures. - Views on general rules of origin and/or advice on appropriate rules of origin for specific products or sectors. - Advice on “trade facilitation” issues (e.g. significant impediments related to import procedures). - Advice, views and experiences with customs procedures and with commercial goods entering and/or leaving TPP countries. - Advice, views and experiences regarding investment barriers faced by Canadian investors in TPP countries, including restrictions imposed on foreign ownership or entry to market, questions of transparency of regulation, performance requirements (i.e. local content requirements, use of local labour and services), and any other impediments/barriers. - Advice and views on government procurement markets of interest to Canadian suppliers and exporters to TPP countries, including the government departments, agencies or enterprises of interest and the goods, services or construction services that Canadian suppliers are interested in selling to those government organizations. Note that participation in government procurement may include bidding as the prime contractor or exporting goods and/or services to the prime contractor who in turn bids on government contracts. - Advice, views and experiences regarding barriers (e.g. availability and transparency of information, domestic preferences) when selling or attempting to sell to governments of TPP countries. - Views and experiences with the protection of intellectual property rights. - Advice and views on competition policy matters, including development of possible cooperation mechanisms. - Views on capacity-building measures that could assist developing countries in achieving the objectives of the agreement. - Views on ways to reflect the interests and values of Canadians in the area of sustainable development, environmental protection and conservation. - Views on ways to reflect the interests and values of Canadians in the areas of workers’ rights, human rights, transparency in business and commercial practices and other social concerns, as they relate to TPP countries. - Views on other related issues not mentioned above. All interested parties are invited to submit their views by February 14, 2012. Please be advised that any information received as a result of this consultation will be considered as public information, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Submissions should include 1. the contributor’s name and address and, if applicable, his/her organization, institution or business; 2. the specific issues being addressed; and 3. precise information on the rationale for the positions taken, including any significant impact it may have on Canada’s domestic or foreign interests. Contributions can be sent by email to consultations@ international.gc.ca, by fax to 613-944-3489 or by mail to Trade Negotiations Consultations (TPP), Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, Trade Policy and Negotiations Division II (TPW), Lester B. Pearson Building, 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G2. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Kim Bruning &lt;kim(a)bruning.xs4all.nl&gt; Date: Sat, Jan 7, 2012 at 5:14 AM Subject: Re: [Foundation-l] Spanish website blocking law implemented To: Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List &lt;foundation-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org&gt; And canada is considering pushing back the public domain 20 years, under ... us influence yet again. http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/6225/125/ (Proposed and existing) US policy (foreign and domestic) is not really in favor of wikimedia at the moment, is it? :-/ sincerely, Kim Bruning