John Dudley Miller, OFAC reverses embargo ruling: Decision allows US publishers to edit manuscripts from Cuba, Iran, and Sudan, The Scientist, December 16, 2004. Excerpt: 'In a reversal of almost all of the controversial prohibitions enacted in September 2003 that led to a lawsuit against it by a coalition of US publishers 3 months ago, the Treasury Department reauthorized American authors and publishers to collaborate with and edit the scientific and other manuscripts of citizens in trade-embargoed countries yesterday (December 15)....But Edward Davis, one of the publishers' attorneys, said yesterday that the publishers are not yet ready to drop their lawsuit, filed September 27, because the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), by granting a general license, continues to assert that it can regulate informational materials. The plaintiffs argue that OFAC has no such authority....Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), the author of the 1988 congressional "Berman amendment" prohibiting the government from embargoing "any information or informational materials," including publishing, told The Scientist last night..."The OFAC interpretation of the Berman amendment was both stupid and obnoxious. This makes it a lot less stupid, but at least conceptually, there's something obnoxious about claiming that you have to be licensed."...The new ruling is not a complete reversal of OFAC's former policies. It bans Americans from developing and marketing software from embargoed countries, and it forbids Americans to collaborate on manuscripts with embargoed governments.'
Posted by
Peter Suber at 12/17/2004 10:08:00 AM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
