Deal or No Deal?: Japan ACTA Round Ends With Near Agreement

The Tokyo round of ACTA negotiations concluded earlier today with countries saying that they "resolved nearly all substantive issues and produced a consolidated and largely finalized text." Earlier reports from Reuters indicated that the latest round of ACTA negotiations in Tokyo, Japan has failed to produce an agreement. That report indicated that there is still disagreement over scope, including geographical indications and patents. A later report indicated that there was a basic agreement.

It is not clear whether the first report was simply wrong or a matter of interpretation. The final statement indicates that there will be no further rounds of negotiations, but there are still some substantive issues that need to be addressed with the countries promising to work expeditiously on them "with a view to finalizing the text of the agreement as promptly as possible." That sounds like there was no deal, but the countries have decided to declare victory anyway. The statement promises to release the text shortly.

Update: A further report from Reuters has the USTR claiming victory, stating that they "are almost across the finish line" and that "in principle, we have found solutions, even on the most difficult issues. Nearly all of the parties embraced those solutions." Nearly all parties apparently does not include the EU. A senior EU official is quoted as saying "we've come a long way but we must still close the remaining gaps without which there will be no agreement."