[Osia-members] OSIA June update

[Jack Burton]

Morning, all.

June has seen real progress made at OSIA, primarily in the public policy
area:

Trans-Pacific Partnership
-------------------------
[Strategy 2.4]

OSIA lodged our first submission on TPP with DFAT yesterday. It is
available online on both the DFAT & OSIA websites, here:
http://www.osia.com.au/drupal7/?q=node/26
and here:
http://www.dfat.gov.au/fta/tpp/#submissions
(scroll down towards the end -- submissions are listed in alphabetical
order by organisation)

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all members of the OSIA TPP
Committee (and the Board) who contributed to the production of this
document.

This submission covers OSIA's overall position on TPP, our core issues
with the patent & anti-TPM-circumvention provisions of the IP Chapter,
our core issue with the Services Chapter and a selection of broader
issues with the IP Chapter.

The Board hopes that DFAT will take the matters raised in the OSIA
submission into account during the upcoming (July/August) round of TPP
negotiations and beyond.

The OSIA TPP Committee has already resolved to prepare a supplementary
submission to DFAT, to address the remainder of the copyright provisions
of the IP Chapter (including parallel importation restrictions) at a
minimum.

Work is scheduled to commence on the supplementary submission on Friday,
when the OSIA TPP Committee will next meet by teleconference.

Any other OSIA members interested in joining the OSIA TPP Committee to
contribute to the drafting of the supplementary submission are invited
to contact OSIA Directors Carl Holden, Don Christie, or me off-list.

Meanwhile, in addition to completing the first submission, the OSIA TPP
Committee has met twice more by teleconference since the May update,
OSIA Director Don Christie represented OSIA at two DFAT consultation
sessions on TPP in Sydney in early June, and I'll be representing us at
a similar session in Adelaide this Thursday.

Trade in Services Agreement
---------------------------

It has come to the Board's attention that one of the issues raised in
the OSIA TPP submission (license choice in government procurement) might
also be an issue in another trade treaty currently being negotiated:
TISA.

OSIA Director Daniel Jitnah will represent OSIA at a DFAT consultation
session on TISA in Melbourne in early July.

Membership renewals
-------------------

It's that time of year again.

For FY2013/14, there will be no change to the OSIA membership fees (see
the website for the current fee schedule).

Membership renewal notices will be issued during July -- so please keep
an eye out for yours.

OSIA needs our members' continued support to help fund the increased
level of activity seen over the past few years and build further upon
that in 2013/14.

Board meetings
--------------

The Board has not met during June, but will be meeting by teleconference
next Friday (5 July).

As always, if members have any issues they feel need to be brought to
the Board's attention, please raise them on this list, or email me
directly.

Regards,



-- 
Jack Burton MACS CP
<jack at saosce.com.au>
--
Director, Saosce Pty Ltd
Chairman, Open Source Industry Australia Ltd
Immediate Past Chairman (SA), Australian Computer Society Inc.
--