The Trans Pacific Partnership: Copyright Law, the Creative Industries and Internet Freedom

Professor Matthew Rimmer discusses the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) as part of IP Osgoode Speaks series. This ‘blockbuster agreement’—supposedly a jovial landmark in the sphere of diplomatic international relations—was diluted with a mixture of uncertainty and secrecy. According to Prof. Rimmer, the TPP is a controversial agreement for several reasons. First, many concerns were raised regarding the involvement of major companies, via special advisory groups and executives, in drafting parts of the agreement. Consequently, the companies allegedly had more influence over the TPP than the legislators since the latter could not review the agreement that was protected (and still is) under the blinds of confidentiality. Second, a few notable countries are not signatories of the TPP (China and Russia for example). The reasons underlying China and Russia’s exclusions raise questions regarding the TPP’s true nature—is it really a trade agreement or simply, as Prof. Rimmer implied, ‘the coalition of the willing’ that was established as part of a U.S. global trade strategy