Recommended participation: nanotech and DRM

The European Commission is organising two interesting public consultation rounds, on nanotechnology and on digital rights management (DRM).

The consultation on nanotechnology invites public feedback on the communication ‘Towards a European Strategy for Nanotechnology’, in which the Commission proposes an integrated and responsible approach for developing nanosciences and nanotechnologies in Europe. All interested people are encouraged to take part by directly writing to the Commission by 30 September 2004.

Commission press release: How big is nanotechnology for Europe? (30.06.2004)
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/04/1005&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Online questionnaire about nanotechnology
http://www.nanoforum.org

EDRI equally recommends participating in the consultation on DRM. After two sessions with industrial parties behind closed doors in the so-called ‘High Level Group on DRM’, on 8 July 2004 the group apparently decided they could no longer do without any representatives from civil society, and now invite ‘all stakeholders’ to reflect on what is already called ‘The Final Report’. The group has identified 3 challenges for the future of DRM: interoperability; levies for private copies and ‘encourage consumers to use legal services on the internet’. Comments must be sent to by 15 September 2004, and will be published on the website unless a specific request is made not to do so. The consultation will be followed by a workshop in November 2004.

European Commission on Digital Rights Management
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/2005/all_about/digital_rights_man/text_en.htm

‘Final report’ from the High Level Group on DRM (08.07.2004)
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/2005/all_about/broadband/digital_rights_man/doc/040709_hlg_drm_2nd_meeting_final_report.pdf