[FYI] LABNews November-December 1998

["Axel H. Horns" <axel.horns@fitug.de>]

Legal Advisory Board (LAB) - LABNews November-December 1998

http://www.echo.lu/legal/en/news/9812/frontpage.html

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                             Table of Contents 

                             1. Access to public sector information -
                             electronic democracy 

                                  1.1. EC - OHIM puts trade mark
                                  decisions on line 1.2. EC - ETSI
                                  telecommunications standards and
                                  information on technical bodies
                                  available free of charge on the
                                  Internet 1.3. Greece - Government
                                  invites public dialogue on the
                                  information society 1.4. Sweden -
                                  Patent Office provides access to
                                  more than 30 million patents via the
                                  Internet 

                             2. Competition 

                                  2.1. EC - Fourth report on
                                  implementation of the
                                  telecommunications liberalisation
                                  package published 2.2. Italy -
                                  Administrative court rejects Telecom
                                  Italia's action against the ruling
                                  of the Communications Authority on
                                  reference interconnection offer 

                             3. Computer crime 

                                  3.1. USA - Sophisticated computer
                                  virus attacks business network of
                                  telecommunications' company 

                             4. Consumer protection 

                                  4.1. Italy - Telecom Italia refuses
                                  to disclose their call log to
                                  consumers on alleged privacy grounds
                                  and Privacy Authority opens
                                  proceedings 

                             5. Content of Internet and audio-visual
                             and information services 

                                  5.1. France - Criminal court asserts
                                  jurisdiction on hate speech from a
                                  US-based server 5.2. USA - Court
                                  recognises the right to unfiltered
                                  access to the Internet through
                                  public libraries 

                             6. Convergence of audio-visual,
                             publishing and telecommunications 

                                  6.1. USA - FCC fifth annual report
                                  on competition in video markets
                                  concludes that technological
                                  convergence has not yet occurred 

                             7. Data protection 

                                  7.1. USA - Public interest
                                  organisations urge authorities to
                                  protect user privacy in electronic
                                  communications 

                             8. Digital signatures 

                                  8.1. United Nations - UNCITRAL Draft
                                  Uniform Rules on Electronic
                                  Signatures released 8.2. Argentina -
                                  Secretary of Public Administration
                                  adopts standards for the Public Key
                                  Infrastructure 

                             9. Electronic commerce 

                                  9.1. UK - Competitiveness White
                                  Paper considers e-commerce key
                                  driver in a knowledge driven economy
                                  9.2. New Zealand - Governmental
                                  position paper released advising
                                  against modification of domain name
                                  status to protect electronic
                                  commerce 9.3. USA - Industry report
                                  on Government's role in Internet
                                  electronic commerce issued in
                                  California 

                             10. Intellectual property 

                                  10.1. France - Court rules that
                                  subsequent registration of a trade
                                  mark does not provide any right on
                                  domain name already assigned 10.2.
                                  New Zealand - Court rules that
                                  Internet registration authority is
                                  not liable for first-come, first
                                  served policy in cybersquatting case
                                  

                             11. Legal aspects of security and
                             encryption 

                                  11.1. Finland - Government releases
                                  guidelines concerning the national
                                  cryptography policy and statements
                                  on the use of cryptographic products
                                  11.2. Wassenaar Arrangement -
                                  Telecoms equipment excluded from
                                  export control lists but crypto
                                  remains critical 11.3. Canada -
                                  Government outlines national
                                  cryptography policy 

                             12. Books, Web sites and Events 

                                  12.1. Books
                                  12.2. Web sites
                                  12.3. Events 

                             13. Publisher, Editor and Contributors 

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