Digital Rights Network

On thursday the RSA's Adelphi Charter on on Innovation, Creativity and Intellectual Property was launched. It is available here and it's clear the commission's members put a lot of effort in keeping it to a side of A4. The charter is explicitly targeted at policy-makers with the statement: We call upon governments and the international community to adopt these principles and while, according to Jamie Boyle, its aim was to be banal, to just state the obvous its principles still pack a punch, in particular the longest, number nine which states:

In making decisions about intellectual property law,governments should adhere to these rules:

• There must be an automatic presumption against creating new areas of intellectual property protection,extending existing privileges or extending the duration of rights.
• The burden of proof in such cases must lie on the advocates of change.
• Change must be allowed only if a rigorous analysis clearly demonstrates that it will promote people’s basic rights and economic well-being.
• Throughout,there should be wide public consultation and a comprehensive,objective and transparent assessment of public benefits and detriments.