On 14/02/2008, David Gerard <dgerard(a)gmail.com> wrote: Sure. The UK recently looked at this issue and decided not to extend. Given the general view of the EU in the UK how well do you think what looks like an attempt to overrule the UK gov is going to go down? -- geni

David Gerard wrote: The Swedish chapter, where I'm a board member, is a Swedish membership organization and should have no formal problems with doing political lobbying. The bylaws state we cannot take sides with political parties ("partipolitiskt obunden" = we promise to remain independent of political parties), but we certainly can express our views on issues that relate to our mission, the promotion of free knowledge. However, since new Swedish copyright legislation is introduced by directive from the European Commission, any successful lobbying would have to take place in Brussels and not in Stockholm. I know the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is active in Brussels, and cooperates with the Free Software Foundation-Europe (FSF-E). Rather than sending our own lobbyists to Brussels, perhaps it would be smarter to join their cause? Would that be a problem? -- Lars Aronsson (lars(a)aronsson.se) Aronsson Datateknik - http://aronsson.se

I will be attending an EFF meeting next Friday in Brussels to (a) report on their plan of action against these measures for Wikinews and (b) Try and find out how WMF can work with them to oppose this issue (I'll probably get a migraine trying to avoid COI). I would welcome advice on the latter from all on the list. If we can stand up to a 100k+ petition to remove images of the prophet Mohammed, what can we do if we run our own petition to oppose EU copyright extension? I hope to have an article up over the following weekend that could be used to inform people and persuade them to sign a petition and comment on the proposed legislation. Serious headaches keeping my bias out of it, but remember... We are Wikinews We are there We report and publish Expect us. :-P Brian McNeil -----Original Message----- From: foundation-l-bounces(a)lists.wikimedia.org [mailto:foundation-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf Of Brian McNeil Sent: 15 February 2008 11:25 To: 'Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List' Subject: Re: [Foundation-l] EU wants to increase musicians' and singers'copyright to 95 years I'm based just outside Brussels, if anyone can think of any way I can help with this let me know. Eg, deliver a petition. Brian McNeil -----Original Message----- From: foundation-l-bounces(a)lists.wikimedia.org [mailto:foundation-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf Of Lars Aronsson Sent: 15 February 2008 10:42 To: Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List Subject: Re: [Foundation-l] EU wants to increase musicians' and singers' copyright to 95 years David Gerard wrote: The Swedish chapter, where I'm a board member, is a Swedish membership organization and should have no formal problems with doing political lobbying. The bylaws state we cannot take sides with political parties ("partipolitiskt obunden" = we promise to remain independent of political parties), but we certainly can express our views on issues that relate to our mission, the promotion of free knowledge. However, since new Swedish copyright legislation is introduced by directive from the European Commission, any successful lobbying would have to take place in Brussels and not in Stockholm. I know the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is active in Brussels, and cooperates with the Free Software Foundation-Europe (FSF-E). Rather than sending our own lobbyists to Brussels, perhaps it would be smarter to join their cause? Would that be a problem? -- Lars Aronsson (lars(a)aronsson.se) Aronsson Datateknik - http://aronsson.se _______________________________________________ foundation-l mailing list foundation-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l _______________________________________________ foundation-l mailing list foundation-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/foundation-l

Benjamin Smith wrote: Methinks someone should install petition software on the toolserver and put a message up in the sitenotice. If you're saying we can currently use classical music 70 years after author's death but the EU wants to put it up to 95 I'm sure you'll get massive support. I'm all for the Foundation being politically neutral but this is an issue that seriously impacts the mission. To pervert Tom Cruise's whacky video, "Copyright evangelists? Go to guns!" Brian McNeil

I should hope its opinion would be not in favor of it. In fact, a board resolution denouncing the change help as well. -Chad On Fri, Feb 15, 2008 at 12:55 PM, Benjamin Smith <benji.wiki(a)gmail.com> wrote: