Internet Piracy of the Nations - Piracy Law Treaty Negotiations

Internet piracy disrupts economic growth across theUnion began negotiating towards a tougher
continents. How nations react to Internet piracy couldAnti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in 2007
well define the future economic health of a nation.to combat Internet piracy and toughen piracy law.
Piracy laws and copyright infringement laws haveThe US has substantial financial interest in combating
reached global attention - and international treatiesInternet piracy The RIAA, one America's largest
continue to grow that seek to give credit to theadvocates for overhauling the current state of
originator and encourage economic gain while stillInternet Piracy and Piracy Law, has given the US
promoting freedom, progress and education.valid concerns over stifled economic growth due to
Copyright laws have existed for centuries but haveInternet piracy and copyright infringement - and
been weak in international standards. The swell ofstatistics to support it. The RIAA invested substantial
Internet Piracy clearly advanced the heighteningresources to support their strong stance on religious
necessity of developing international standards.adherences to piracy law. A verified report by the
In 1994, the General Agreement on Tariffs andInstitute for Policy Innovation (IPA) declared that
Trade (GATT) resulted in the Agreement on TradeInternet piracy accounts for a $2.7 billion loss in
Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rightsworkers' earnings and a $131 million in lost corporate
(TRIPS), which provided a foundation for standards inincome and production taxes - not to mention a loss
copyright infringement laws and regulations. Internetof $291 million in personal income tax that the US
piracy law, copyright infringement, and intellectual lawcould surely use to offset its deficit.
were addressed globally at the World IntellectualInternet piracy laws and the definitions of copyright
Property Organization (WIPO), a division of theinfringement are at the top of international trade
United Nations, in 1996. As a result, 184 nations haveagendas across the continents. Piracy law will
now signed the World Intellectual Propertycontinue to undergo substantial review as the
Organization Copyright Treaty - a modernInternet and other forms of technology progress.
predecessor of the 1883 Paris Convention for theThe United Nations has already developed task force
Protection of Industrial Property and the 1886 Bernegroups to analyze the Internet-driven economy of
Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artisticthe future - and the potential for new and stronger
Works.surges of Internet piracy and copyright infringement
WIPO strives to develop "a balanced and accessiblethat will come with it. When the nations can
international intellectual property (IP) system, whichpeacefully recognize both state and international
rewards creativity, stimulates innovation andcopyright protections that give credit to the
contributes to economic development whileoriginator and promote a healthy economy, while still
safeguarding the public interest." Nations are joiningretaining the freedoms of the Internet, then perhaps
forces to protect the rights of their creative citizensglobal trade agreements might run as smoothly as a
and increase their potential for international economicwebsite visit to a country that's just an ocean away.
gain - but not without strife. Many nations still resistUntil then, the transitioning copyright infringement and
the stringent copyright infringement laws of theintellectual property agreements will continue to
West. Other nations, such as Canada, developdetermine the future state of our Internet-driven
creative solutions, such as placing a levy on blank CDeconomy.
purchases. However, the US, Japan and the European