EFFI Email 2/2004

New

  • Shirts are now available for sale with a print advocating boycott of copy
    protected “CDs”
  • Problems with membership registration
  • The Spring Meeting on 29th May
  • The Copyright Act finally in the Parliament
  • Software patents a tough fight in the Parliament
  • Mandatory data retention for ISPs?
  • A Guru is In event on 15th April 2004

// NEW T-SHIRT AVAILABLE FOR SALE

There is a new product in EFFI’s selection of T-shirts. This time the theme
is copy protection of CDs. This print is also available as a long-sleeved model
and if there is enough demand, the other models may also become available in
long-sleeved models.

More information:
http://www2.effi.org/yhdistys/kannatustuotteet/index.en.html

// PROBLEMS WITH MEMBERSHIP REGISTRATION

There have been problems in membership registration during the early spring.
The issues have been addressed and, as an example, the membership dues are now
going into payment. Our most sincere apologies for any harm this situation may
have caused!

// EFFI SPRING MEETING ON 29TH MAY

The Spring Meeting of EFFI is will be held on Saturday, 29th May. The agenda
will have the usual items as dictated by the rules, such as releasing the last
year’s board from liability.

The invitation (in Finnish only):
http://www2.effi.org/yhdistys/kokoukset/kokouskutsu-2004-kevat.html

// THE COPYRIGHT ACT FINALLY IN THE PARLIAMENT

On 19th March the Ministry of Education finally managed to present a new
Copyright Act for the Parliament. The new government proposal still has
significant problems that EFFI commented right after the Government accepted
the proposal of the Ministry of Education. Due to lack of time, the EFFI press
release had an error: significant commercial harm is still a requirement for
copyright crimes. EFFI will likely be heard in the Education and Culture
Committee. In addition to this, it would naturally be good to send feedback to
MPs.

EFFI, especially Herkko Hietanen from EFFI, also organized a public debate
on the new copyright act on 24th March in cooperation with Pykälä ry and Teosto
(Finnish Composers’ Copyright Society). There was a rather colourful debate on
the substance of the law. Even though there were disagreements, one thing was
unanimously accepted: the readability of the new law is still a complete
disaster.

The press release (in Finnish):
http://www2.effi.org/julkaisut/tiedotteet/lehdistotiedote-2004-03-18.html

The copyright seminar (in Finnish):
http://www2.effi.org/tapahtumat/tekijanoikeusseminaari.html

Updated copyright FAQ (in Finnish):
http://www2.effi.org/tekijanoikeus/laki/tekijanoikeus-faq.html

// SOFTWARE PATENTS A TOUGH FIGHT IN THE PARLIAMENT

The EU software patent directive was once again in debated in the
Parliament. This time EFFI had made better preparations and we forced the other
side to reach to our own activity. The debate raised some publicity and the
topic was well covered e.g. in Linux-Summit.

Unfortunately, in the end, the government’s (and Nokia’s) position won in
the Commerce Committee and the Grand Committee. The Green League, the Left
Alliance and the Christian Democrats voted against patenting. The EFFI
protested the result in a press release that was published even by the STT (for
the second time in EFFI’s history).

The fight is not yet over. It will now continue on the EU level. FFII has
been organizing a demonstration on 14th April on Brussels. EFFI is represented
by Tapani Tarvainen.

A presentation at Linux Summit on 27.2 (in Finnish only):
http://www2.effi.org/patentit/effi-linux-summit.html

An expert statement on software patents on the case U 45/2002 (in Finnish only):
http://www2.effi.org/julkaisut/lausunnot/ohjelmistopatentointi.html

EFFI press release on 11st March (in Finnish only):
http://www2.effi.org/julkaisut/tiedotteet/lehdistotiedote-2004-03-11.html

Additional statement for the Commerce Committee on 12nd March (in Finnish only):
http://www2.effi.org/patentit/jatkolausunto-ohjelmistopatenteista-u452002.pdf

Statement by the Commerce Committee (in Finnish only):
http://www2.effi.org/patentit/talousvaliokunnan-lausunto-03-2004.html

EFFI press release on 12nd April (in Finnish only):
http://www2.effi.org/julkaisut/tiedotteet/lehdistotiedote-2004-04-12.html

// MANDATORY DATA RETENTION FOR ISPS?

In the aftermath of Telia-Sonera’s “Echelon” mails the Ministry of Transport
and Communications set up a committee to consider the implications of mandatory
data retention for ISPs. There is already an EU-wide decision on the principle
of mandating data retention. In the worst case this privacy-threatening
activity would become a reality in Finland as well.

Press release (in Finnish only):
http://www2.effi.org/julkaisut/tiedotteet/lehdistotiedote-2004-02-19.html

// THE IPR ENFORCEMENT DIRECTIVE ACCEPTED IN THE EU

On 10th March the European Union accepted the IPR Enforcement directive
without any significant amendments in the directive. The European civil rights
organizations actively campaigned against the directive but this time the work
brought no results. As one positive detail most of the Finnish MEPs voted
against the directive.

Press release (in Finnish only):
http://www2.effi.org/julkaisut/tiedotteet/lehdistotiedote-2004-03-10.html


EFFI Email is a more or less regularly published bulletin on the activity of
Electronic Frontier Finland ry. If you wish to join as a member or ask
additional information of our activities, please contact us and fill a form at
http://www2.effi.org.

The English version of this newsletter has been edited and translated from
the Finnish newsletter by Janne Nikula (jni@iki.fi). This particular translation was
finished a month after the Finnish newsletter was released so some news items
were omitted or edited because they had outdated information.

Regards,

Ville Oksanen
Chairman