SINGAPORE SEEKS COMMENTS ON DRAFT COPYRIGHT

UNCLAS SINGAPORE 000666 SIPDIS STATE PASS USTR FOR AUSTR VESPINEL AND DAUSTR JJENSEN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KIPR ECON ETRD EINV SN SUBJECT: SINGAPORE SEEKS COMMENTS ON DRAFT COPYRIGHT EXEMPTIONS ¶1. The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) is seeking public comments on draft regulations that would exempt additional "circumvention of technological access control measures" for copyrighted material and protected performances. The Copyright (Excluded Works) Order 2007, which replaces an initial 2005 order, allows IPOS to implement changes under Singapore's Copyright Act without having to seek parliamentary approval to amend the Act itself. ¶2. The draft order proposes three new exceptions to Section 261C of the Copyright Act: -- Educational works for classroom teaching; Educational institutions that conduct courses in film and media would be allowed to extract clips from VCDs or DVDs in their libraries for teaching purposes. -- Testing, investigation, or correction of security flaws; End-users would be permitted to engage in "good faith" testing, investigation or correction of security flaws or vulnerabilities present in CDs or personal computers. -- Computer programs requiring a key code for activation; End-users would be able to apply access control circumvention methods to retrieve computer program-related key codes that have been either misplaced or are no longer commercially available. ¶3. The draft order would also broaden the definition of conditions under which a copy protection device ("dongle") could be deemed obsolete. Additionally, it would expand application of an existing rule governing circumvention measures to disable the "read aloud" functions for electronic texts. ¶4. More information is available on the IPOS website: www.ipos.gov.sg. Comments may be submitted until April 14, 2007 via email or post: Email: IPOS_IPLawFeedback@ipos.gov.sg Post: 51 Bras Basah Road #04-01 Plaza by The Park Singapore 189554 FERGIN