The copyright team of the Office of Policy and International Affairs (OPIA) assists in advising the Administration and other Federal Government departments and agencies on domestic and international copyright legal and policy issues. At the international level, the OPIA copyright team provides analysis and advice on foreign copyright laws and the international copyright system, including assistance in negotiating new international copyright norms, their implementation in U.S. law, and the enforcement of international obligations. At the domestic level, the OPIA copyright team provides analysis and advice on copyright developments within the Executive branch, the U.S. Congress, and the courts. As a complement to its international and domestic policy activities, the OPIA copyright team is actively engaged in providing technical assistance and training on copyright-related matters for both U.S. and foreign government officials.
Green Paper on Copyright Policy, Creativity and Innovation in the Digital Economy
In July 2013, the Department of Commerce's Internet Policy Task Force (Task Force), led by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), issued a green paper on Copyright Policy, Creativity and Innovation in the Digital Economy (Green Paper). The Green Paper calls for new public input on critical policy issues that are central to our nation's economic growth, cultural development and job creation. It is intended to serve as a reference for stakeholders, a blueprint for further action, and as a contribution to global copyright debates.
- Green Paper on Copyright Policy, Creativity and Innovation in the Digital Economy (pdf)
- Copyright Green Paper Press Release (July 31, 2013)
- Copyright Green Paper: Director's Forum
- Internet Policy Task Force page on the Green Paper
Information about the Task Force's ongoing outreach efforts on the topics identified for further work in the Green Paper is found below.
2014 Meetings
Multistakeholder Forum on the DMCA Notice and Takedown System
On the issue of improving the operation of the DMCA notice and takedown system, the Task Force is establishing a forum for consensus-building among stakeholders with the aim of producing an agreed outcome by the end of 2014.
The initial public meeting of the multistakeholder forum was held on March 20th, 2014 at the Madison Auditorium on the USPTO main campus in Alexandria, Virginia. The second meeting of the multistakeholder forum was held on May 8th, 2014 in Berkeley, California. The third meeting of the multistakeholder forum was held on June 20, 2014 on the USPTO main campus in Alexandria, Virginia. The fourth meeting of the multistakeholder forum was held on September 10, 2014 on the USPTO main campus in Alexandria, Virginia. Archived versions of the webcasts of these meetings and other documentation related to these meetings can be accessed in the links immediately below.
Sixth Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting
At the sixth public meeting of the multistakeholder forum, the Working Group chairs presented a discussion draft of Good, Bad and Situational Practices, and it was agreed that the Working Group would accept comments on the draft. Information on how to send comments as to the specific wording set forth in the draft – for example, to point out ambiguities or technical errors – may be found on the cover page to the draft, which is linked to below. Comments should be submitted no later than January 18, 2015.
- Website to RSVP and for Additional Information about the 2014 Public Multistakeholder Meetings
- Agenda – Sixth Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting, December 18, 2014
- Working Group Discussion Draft as Distributed at Sixth Public Meeting
- Link to Webcast of Sixth Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting - December 18, 2014
- Link to Transcript of Sixth Public Meeting - December 18, 2014
Fifth Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting
- Website to RSVP and for Additional Information about the 2014 Public Multistakeholder Meetings
- Agenda – Fifth Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting, October 28, 2014
- Link to Webcast of the Fifth Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting – October 28, 2014
- Working Group Discussion Draft as Distributed at Fifth Public Meeting
- Link to Transcript of Fifth Public Meeting – October 28, 2014
Fourth Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting
- Agenda - Fourth Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting, September 10, 2014
- Link to Transcript of Fourth Public Meeting - September 10, 2014
- Link to Webcast of Fourth Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting - September 10, 2014
- Progress Report of the Working Group, Powerpoint Presentation Delivered at September 10, 2014 Meeting
- Working Group Discussion Draft as Distributed at Fourth Public Meeting
Third Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting
- Agenda - Third Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting, June 20, 2014
- Website to RSVP and for Additional Information about the 2014 Public Multistakeholder Meetings
- Link to Webcast of Third Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting - June 20, 2014
- Link to Transcript of Third Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting - June 20, 2014
Second Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting
- Agenda - Second Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting, May 8, 2014
- Stakeholder Submissions Received in Preparation for Second Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting, May 8, 2014
- Link to Webcast of Second Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting - May 8, 2014
- Link to Transcript of Second Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting - May 8, 2014
First Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting
- Website to RSVP and for Additional Information about the 2014 Public Meetings
- Agenda - First Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting, March 20, 2014
- Link to Webcast of First Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting, March 20, 2014
- Link to transcript of First Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting, March 20, 2014
- Link to Meeting Slides from First Public Multistakeholder Forum Meeting, March 20, 2014
- Federal Register Notice of First Public Meeting of the Multistakeholder Forum
- Press Release for March 20, 2014 Meeting
Roundtable Discussions on Remixes, First Sale, and Statutory Damages
In the Green Paper, the Internet Policy Task Force stated its intention to hold roundtable discussions on (1) the legal framework for the creation of remixes; (2) the relevance and scope of the first sale doctrine in the digital environment; and (3) the appropriate calibration of statutory damages in the contexts of (i) individual file sharers and (ii) secondary liability for large-scale infringement . The purpose of the planned roundtables is to seek additional input from the public in locations around the country in order for the Task Force to have a complete and thorough record upon which to make recommendations.
The roundtables, which will be led by USPTO and NTIA, will take place on May 21st (Flynn Auditorium, Vanderbilt University Law School, 131 21st. Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37203), June 25th (Wasserstein Hall, Harvard University Law School, 1585 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138), July 29th (Walter J. Lack Reading Room, Loyola Law School, 919 Albany Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90015) and July 30th (Boalt Hall, Booth Auditorium, UC Berkeley School of Law, 215 Bancroft Way, Berkeley, CA 94720).
Additional information may be found using the links below:
- Website to RSVP and for Additional Information about the 2014 Roundtables
- Federal Register Notice of Public Meetings on Copyright Policy Topics
- Press Release for Upcoming Public Meetings
- Nashville Roundtable Agenda
- The webcast of the Nashville Green Paper roundtable is now available. [ Part 1 ] [ Part 2 ]
( Workaround for Google Chrome users having difficulties playing the videos. ) (For Mac users, you can download the free software, VLC for the Mac, version 2.1.4 from http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-macosx.html to play Windows Media Files) - Link to transcript of First Green Paper Roundtable, May 21, 2014, Nashville, TN (Revised Nov 2014)
- Link to Agenda for Second Green Paper Roundtable, June 25, 2014, Cambridge, MA
- Link to Transcript of Second Green Paper Roundtable, June 25, 2014, Cambridge, MA (Revised Nov 2014)
- Link to Transcript of Second Green Paper Roundtable, June 25, 2014, Cambridge, MA
- The webcast of the Cambridge, MA. Green Paper Roundtable is now available
- Federal Register Notice of California Green Paper Roundtable locations
- Link to Agenda for Third Green Paper Roundtable, July 29, 2014, Los Angeles, CA
- Link to webcast for Third Green Paper Roundtable, July 29, 2014, Los Angeles, CA
- Link to Transcript of Third Green Paper Roundtable, July 29, 2014, Los Angeles, CA
- Link to Agenda for Fourth Green Paper Roundtable, July 30, 2014, Berkeley, CA
- Link to webcast for Fourth Green Paper Roundtable, July 30, 2014, Berkeley, CA
- Link to Transcript of Fourth Green Paper Roundtable, July 30, 2014, Berkeley, CA
Briefing and Public Discussion on the Proposed WIPO Broadcasting Treaty
2013 Meetings and Comments
On October 3, 2013, the Task Force published a notice of public meeting and a request for public comments on five separate copyright policy issues critical to economic growth, job creation, and cultural development that were identified in the Department's Green Paper. The deadline for filing pre-meeting comments was November 13, 2013, and post-meeting comments was January 17, 2014.
Public Meeting - December 2013
The public meeting on the Green Paper was held on December 12, 2013.
- Archived Webcast of and Agenda for Green Paper Public Meeting
- Green Paper Public Meeting Transcript (pdf)
- Input on Copyright and Innovation: Director's Forum
Public Comments - November 2013 and January 2014
- Public comments on the Green Paper
- Federal Register Notice - January Comments
- Federal Register Notice - Request for Public Comments and Notice of Public Meeting
2010 Copyright Symposium
The Commerce Department's United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) held a public meeting to discuss the relationship of copyright policy, creativity, and innovation in the Internet economy.
Copyright Law and Related sites
The Role of the USPTO and IP Policy
Copyright Basics
A Copyright Refresher