As our intellectual property laws are increasingly regulated by rules set in international agreements, the processes by which we negotiate, approve and enter into those agreements is of crucial importance. The move away from open, multilateral fora to secret trade-based treaties has added to the complexities of ensuring appropriate IP policies. 

As such the ADA and ALCC were happy with the opportunity to submit to the Senate inquiry into the treaty making process. We made the following proposals to improve the treaty making process:

A presentation on aspects of the leaked IP chapter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement that could restrict access to knowledge, with comments on the experiences of libraries and universities in Australia after similar IP provisions were implemented as the result of the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement.

The Australian Government proposes to ratify the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in 2012 following consideration by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties. The ADA and ALCC submission offers brief comment on the importance of adopting a cautious approach to negotiating IP provisions, highlights those ACTA provisions that seem to set a dangerous precent for international IP policy making, and notes the absence of public interest considerations in both ACTA and the National Interest Analysis.

The WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright & Related Rights dedicated three days in November 2011 to discussions regarding the updating of copyright exceptions and limitations for libraries world wide. The ADA and ALCC communicated with the Australian representative to advance the copyright issues currently facing libraries in Australia.

Joint comment by the ADA and ALCC on WIPO working document Proposal on an international instrument on exceptions and limitations for persons with print disabilities.

Joint submission by the ADA and ALCC in response to the Productivity Commission's draft research report into bilateral and regional trade agreements. It gives consideration to the negotiation of the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) and its impact on the balance of Australian copyright law.

Submission to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade following the release of an official version of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in 2010. It analyses areas of conflict between the requirements of ACTA and Australia's domestic IP policy.

Joint comment of the ADA and ALCC on the draft treaty proposed by the World Blind Union at WIPO, increasing the information available in accessible formats for people with a visual impairment.

Joint statement of principles for ACTA negotiations by the ADA, the Internet Industry Association, Choice and the Australian Library and Information Association.