"A pending commission requirement would force companies to disclose a burgeoning menu of material events in just two days, " writes Katz.

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"The rigid material becomes a structure and the other layer is the force that can start bending and twisting it, " said Mr Tibbits.

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The record industry aims to establish a precedent, so that it can force access providers to disconnect subscribers who are trading copyrighted material without having to go to court every time.

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Under such a convention, which has the force of a treaty, signatory nations would be obligated to require companies under their jurisdiction to publicly disclose material sustainability information.

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