SEACONET - New African Copyright Network Launched
SEACONET (Southern and Eastern Africa Copyright Network) has been officially launched at a Ministerial Meeting in Lilongwe, Malawi, on 30 May. Ministers from five countries in the region (Malawi, Mauritius, Lesotho, Uganda and Zambia) participated at the ceremony. As well as IFRRO's English speaking African RRO members, which are involved in SEACONET, IFRRO was represented by Tarja Koskinen-Olsson, Honorary President.
SEACONET is a sub-regional network of copyright offices, collective management organisations and rightholder organisations for closer collaboration, cooperation and harmonisation of copyright and related rights activities for the benefit of rightholders. Its mission is to ensure maximum regional cooperation in the promotion and protection of copyrighted works and the adequate remuneration of rightholders. In due course, SEACONET aims to adopt a constitution, set up a secretariat, facilitate the harmonisation of copyright laws in the sub-region, address piracy, establish a common information database relating to copyright matters, and embark on awareness campaigns and training. In the mean time, the Copyright Society of Malawi, COSOMA, will act as Secretariat to the network. IFRRO has co-financed the initiative together with among others WIPO, UNESCO and CISAC.
Reykjavik Open Conference Presentations available
The Open Conference on Copyright in meeting with European Initiatives was organized by Fjölis and IFRRO in cooperation with the University of Reykjavik and took place on 28 April 2008. It brought together RROS, Publishers' and authors' societies as well as government representatives and academics. The Presentations of the speakers and panelists are now available for download.
i2010 Digital Libraries Initiative: Solutions for orphan works, out-of-prints works and digital preservations approved
In conjunction with the meeting of the High Level Expert Group (HLEG) meeting on 4 June, representatives from libraries, archives and rightholders including IFRRO and IFRRO members ENPA, EVA, EWC, FAEP, FEP and STM signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on sector specific guidelines for diligent search for rightholders to orphan works.
The HLEG, established to assist the European Commission with the implementation of the digital libraries initiative, adopted the
final Report from the Copyright Subgroup which proposes solutions on (i) digital preservation; (ii) web harvesting; (iii) orphan works; and (iv) out-of-print works. The
Annexes to the report include (i) a Model Agreement for digitising and making available copyright works to authorised users in secure networks (ii) a Model Agreement for digitising and making available copyright books online over open networks; (iii) key principles for orphan works and out of print works rights clearance centers and databases.
In parallel, the HLEG also adopted the
final Report on Public Private Partnership. All solutions have been developed by and are results of voluntary arrangements involving relevant stakeholders and demonstrate the willingness to find solutions to challenging issues. They will help cultural institutions to make agreements with rightholders or their representatives to digitise and make copyright works available to the public.
EC Consultation on private copying levies: New Forum proposed
At a public consultation meeting on private copying levies on Tuesday in Brussels, Commissioner Mac Creevy affirmed that levies were a valuable component to ensure that artists could be fairly compensated. The public meeting addressed the issues raised in the Commission's consultation paper to which IFRRO responded in April. Recognizing that the operation of levies was an emotive subject, the Commissioner proposed a new Forum to facilitate discussions between collecting societies, industry and consumer representatives. The Forum would be jointly chaired by DG Internal Market and Services and DG Education, Training, Culture and Youth.
Initially the Forum would concentrate on the less controversial issues:
• Clamping down on free-riders and the so-called grey market
• Improving practical modalities of refunds once a piece of equipment is exported
• Agreeing broad principles for calculating levies which will take into account future technological development.
• Combatting Piracy.
The Forum would not be making binding decisions on its members but a first report to the Commission services would be made after six months.
The CEO of IFRRO, Mr Olav Stokkmo, welcomed this initiative from the Commission and particularly the recognition of the importance of the levies as a way to compensate authors, visual creators and publishers for certain uses of their works and that that it was general consensus to co-operate in combating unauthorised uses of copyright works. He emphasized that compliance was also an issue that merited early discussion.
IFRRO Makes Statement to the European Commission on levies
In a submission on the European Commission's consultation on "Fair Compensation for Acts of Private copying" IFRRO questions its purpose, given its restricted focus on "private copying" while addressing issues with consequences also for reprography without including this sector specifically in the analysis. The implementation of Directive 2001/29/EC is a matter for national governments and any variations reflect national conditions and are consistent with the principle of subsidiarity. What is important is to ensure that decisions, on which equipment and media should be covered by the levy and on the rate, are based on solid evidence and agreed with stakeholders concerned. IFRRO's submission stresses that where there is a levy system to remunerate copyright holders for certain uses of their works it is generally supported by the creators and publishers concerned. It operates well and consistently in the member states which have adopted it, represents a way to compensate the rightsholders for some of their potential losses and there is no evidence that it leads to a distortion of the market.
Read full submission
IFRRO Makes Statement to WIPO SCCR on Exceptions and Limitations
IFRRO can see no need for new international binding instruments or agreements on exceptions and limitations, IFRRO Chief Executive, Olav Stokkmo, stressed at the sixteenth session of the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), held on 11 March.
IFRRO recommends that the present international IPR framework, consisting of exclusive rights and certain exceptions and limitations and the "three-step-test", should continue to be based on a delicate equilibrium. The Statement goes on to say that, at a national level, building legislation on flexible and fair foundations can ensure lawful access to knowledge-based material for users and respect for authors' and publishers' rights. IFRRO also offers to provide examples of national models and practices, drafted within the present international norms, where individual and collective licensing interacts with exceptions and limitations to the benefit of all stakeholders.
Read full Statement
EC Consultation on Creative Content Online: IFRRO Submission
IFRRO has responded to the European Commission's public consultation on new ways of achieving a single market for creative online content. Its submission advises that current projects should be further developed and assessed before actions are taken. The document also covers areas the EC indicates are key challenges, such as Digital Rights Management (DRM) and interoperability, multi-territory licensing and piracy.
Read IFRRO's submission in full
Read more: Commission adopts strategy for "Creative Content Online"