Re: [dvd-discuss] Geeks in government: A good idea?

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On 17 Aug 2002 at 18:14, Jon Lech Johansen wrote:

Date sent:      	Sat, 17 Aug 2002 18:14:10 +0200
From:           	Jon Lech Johansen <jon@nanocrew.net>
To:             	dvd-discuss@eon.law.harvard.edu
Subject:        	Re: [dvd-discuss] Geeks in government: A good idea?
Send reply to:  	dvd-discuss@eon.law.harvard.edu

> On Sat, Aug 17, 2002 at 05:10:31AM -0400, PSYchiccr@aol.com (PSYchiccr@aol.com)
> wrote: > Region Free players are in all European stores right now..............
> 
> "Now" being the operative word. The "Norwegian Video Association" (which
> consists of distributors) have stated that they interpret the EUCD as 
> outlawing the sale of Region Free players and the sale of non-Region2 
> DVDs. They have already successfully sued a store which was selling the
> Region1 edition of "The Waterboy". The Supreme Court rejected the
> store's appeal. It is currently illegal in Norway for a store to sell
> the Region1 edition of a DVD for which a Norwegian distributor has
> Region2 distribution rights. 

Which shows the influence of WIPO. That should be a CIVIL matter involving a 
contract between the distributer and the producer. Instead, there is a LAW 
against it. The law is not intended to further private goals.

>This is referred to as parallelimport
> and is an amendment to Norwegian copyright law introduced by a single
> politician in 1993. Despite the Justice Department being critical of the
> amendment, it passed. A group of 3 politicians tried to get it removed
> in 1997 and 1998. A recent report from the Judicial Faculty at the
> University of Oslo concludes that the law has to be revised as soon as
> possible. 
> 
> The problem with the judgement (disregarding that the law itself is a
> problem) is that the Region1 edition of a DVD is often very different
> from the Region2 edition. If it was the same product, people wouldn't
> pay more to get the Region1 edition.  
> 
> -- 
> Jon Johansen
> nanocrew.net
> 
> http://www.eff.org/support/jonfund.html
> 
> MR. LEVY:  I'm sorry, your Honor. I actually have a technology expert
>   with me. Would the Court like to or would they agree to hear a very
>   brief statement on this point from that expert?
> THE COURT: No.    -- MPAA v. Reimerdes injunction hearing, 2000/01/21