Block Berne protocol action ... Three prominent computer trade groups - Software Publishers Association, Computer Business and Equipment Manufacturers Association and the Information Technology Association of America - want Washington to block efforts at the upcoming World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) meeting to develop a protocol to the Berne Convention. (New Bytes)

Software Industry Report, April, 1993

Block Berne Protocol Action... Three prominent computer trade groups -- Software Publishers Association, Computer Business and Equipment Manufacturers Association and the Information Technology Association of America -- want Washington to block efforts at the upcoming World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) meeting to develop a protocol to the Berne Convention.

It protects computer programs as literary works. The three trade groups fear that resurrecting the issue could wind up eliminating copyright protection for programs. WIPO is a specialized agency of the United Nations and its experts are set to meet in Geneva in June. US software companies want the United States to press for inclusion of stronger protection against international piracy in the Berne Convention.