Re: [Fsuk-manchester] Trump and software freedom

[John Rooke]

Hi Leah,

On 15/09/18 17:30, Leah Rowe wrote:

> Good thing we're leaving the EU next year.

I'm afraid its not so simple.  The Directive may well pass into law 
before 29th of March next year, in which case it will automatically be 
transferred into post-Brexit law also.  Fortunately, we will have 
another opportunity to amend it when it returns the European Parliament, 
probably in December.

Even if we do leave before it becomes law, we will not be out of the 
woods.  We will be positioned between the two major trading blocks of 
North America and Europe, trying to make deals with both of them. They 
will both demand restrictions on software freedom and the Government 
seems unlikely to object.  So we could end up with the worst of both worlds.

The problem with Brexit as it is currently developing is that the 
Government is attempting remove the little democratic control that we 
have over the trade negotiation process.  In addition to resisting the 
Copyright Directive, we need to campaign for more trade democracy, not 
less, so that we can have a chance of resisting these attacks. 
Currently, the Trade Bill is being discussed in the House of Lords; 
please take action to persuade them to demand trade democracy 
<https://tradeactionblog.wordpress.com/2018/08/29/fight-for-trade-democracy>.

John

--
John Rooke

Wittgenstein's Builders Blog <http://jalfro.altervista.org>

Trade Action Blog <https://tradeactionblog.wordpress.com>