Three forthcoming events

The 1709 Blog's Big Copyright Debate on Tuesday 12 July, on whether we come to bury copyright or to praise it, had by midnight on Sunday night notched up no fewer than 130 registrants.  The auditorium holds more, so please don't feel shy about letting us know if you'd like to come.  The venue is the London office of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and admission is free.  To register for this event, which is being held in conjunction with the IPKat weblog, just email here and let us know you're coming.

Policy Forum: IPR in the age of the Internet is the title of an event hosted by the Institute for European Studies (IES) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (that's the Free University of Brussels).  The Forum is coming up very soon, in fact it's this Thursday, 16 June 2011. According to the organisers:

"Intellectual property rights (IPR) are essential in our information economy and have received a high level of protection and attention in the European Union. On 24 May 2011, the European Commission published a new strategy for intellectual property rights, seeking to address the key opportunities and challenges for IPR in the single digital market. In this policy forum Ms Elaine Miller, policy officer in DG Internal Market & Services, will share the Commission's view on the future of copyright in the EU. Prof Tuomas Mylly, a high-level expert in the field of copyright, will provide comments on the new IPR strategy, as well as address the balance which needs to be sought between protection of IPR online and other interests".

The Forum takes place from 12:00-14:00 at the Institute for European Studies, Pleinlaan 5, 1050 Brussels. Participation is free of charge and open to all but, due to space limitations, registration is required. Further information is available here.  Those wanting to participate can register by sending an email here. 

Talking Copyright: What’s All The Fuss? With the recent prevalence of online activity having moved the subject of copyright from the lofty confines of academic and legal circles into the mainstream consciousness, this seminar is an opportunity for panellists and participants to voice their opinions. What’s copyright? Why should we care about copyright? Where are consumers’ rights? Would the world be a better place without having all rights reserved? What’s all the fuss about?

“Economic evidence is not, of course, the sole driver of IP policy. Legitimate questions of culture, fairness and “just reward” for creators also arise, and have tended to dominate the debate on copyright issues.” Hargreaves Review Of IP, May 2011

Panel: Kienda Hoji (University Of Westminster Commercial Music BA programme director), Saskia Walzel (Consumer Focus policy advocate), Dr Catherine Lee (IPKat contributor), Dr Enrico Bonadio (City University London law lecturer), Emmanuel Legrand (World Copyright Summit conference coordinator), Prof Martin Kretschmer (Centre For Intellectual Property Policy & Management director), Danilo Mandic (University Of Westminster Law School doctoral researcher), Chris Cooke (CMU co-publisher & business editor). Chair: Kwaku (BBM/BMC founder). In association with University Of Westminster Commercial Music and CultureTalkClub.

This event takes place on Friday June 24 2011, 6.30-9pm, at the University Of Westminster (The Old Cinema), 309 Regent Street, London W1B 2UW (Oxford Circus). Registration is free but pre-booking is essential.  You can find further information from British Black Music here or ask for it here.