[Forwarding from the A2K list. --Peter Suber.]<br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><br>Knowledge Ecology International (KEI)/IQsensato are holding a briefing<br>
on a "Proposal for a WTO Agreement on the Supply of Knowledge as a<br>
Global Public Good".<br>
<br>
Our event will take place Room B of the Conference Centre Varembe<br>
(CCV) on 1 December 2009 (Tuesday) from 8:30 to 10:00 AM. The CCV is<br>
located just across from the CICG where the Seventh WTO MInisterial<br>
will take place.<br>
<br>
<br>
Proposal for a WTO Agreement on the Supply of Knowledge as a Global<br>
Public Good<br>
<br>
Confirmed speakers include:<br>
<br>
James Love (Director, KEI)<br>
Sisule Musungu (President, IQsensato)<br>
<br>
Respondent:<br>
Ahmad Mukthar (Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the WTO)<br>
<br>
Context<br>
<br>
While the world is confronted with a vast undersupply of global public<br>
goods, we believe that part of the problem is that the current trade<br>
system lacks the sufficient incentives and structures to address the<br>
free riding problems associated with the supply of public goods. There<br>
are increasing calls for a larger supply of public goods and a variety<br>
of proposals that involve government commitments to increase the<br>
supply of global public goods in specific areas, including but not<br>
limited to major projects such as the Kyoto Protocol to the<br>
International Framework Convention on Climate Change, the<br>
International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources, the proposed WIPO<br>
Treaty on Access to Knowledge, and the proposed WHO Biomedical R&D<br>
Treaty.<br>
<br>
KEI and IQSensato are planning to examine the complex issues which<br>
surround a new proposal to introduce at WTO an Agreement on the Supply<br>
of Knowledge as a Global Public Good. The goal is to create a new<br>
option that will allow governments to make binding offers and<br>
commitments for the supply of heterogeneous global public goods,<br>
involving in particular knowledge goods.<br>
<br>
For more information, contact:<br>
<br>
Thiru Balasubramaniam<br>
<br>
+41 76 508 0997<br>
<br>
------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>Thiru Balasubramaniam<br>
Geneva Representative<br>
Knowledge Ecology International (KEI)<br>
<a href="mailto:thiru@keionline.org" target="_blank">thiru@keionline.org</a><br>
<br>Tel: +41 22 791 6727<br>
Mobile: +41 76 508 0997<br>
<br></div>