IPO consultation on Directive 2011/77

Enthusiastic musical response to IPO's consultation ...

As not all 1709 Blog readers and email subscribers also read the IPKat, we do not want that they remain unaware of the public consultation which the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has just launched. This is aimed at gathering the views of relevant stakeholders (including musicians, record producers, lyricists and composers and representative organisations and individuals) on the draft regulations that will transpose Directive 2011/77/EU into UK law.

This directive was adopted in September 2011 and extended the term of protection for performers and sound recordings from 50 to 70 years (Jeremy's post here). The underlying idea was that performers' protection was to be brought in line with that already afforded to authors.

At the time of its adoption,  EU Commissioner Michel Barnier felt confident that

... which needs to be in writing though

"[the] decision to increase the term of protection for musicians' copyright from 50 to 70 years w[ould] make a real difference for performers ... With increasing life expectancy, the previous 50-year protection term was clearly insufficient. Despite the fact that their music and songs are still popular, today many performers are left without income when they are older. The increase to a 70-year term means performers can still receive remuneration when their music is played once they have retired. [This] agreement gives performers the recognition and reward they justly deserve for their creative contributions to society and stimulates creation for future generations of music fans".

While requiring the UK to extend the length of copyright term in sound recordings and performers' rights in sound recordings, the directive includes specific provisions for performers, and also provides for the harmonisation of the copyright term for co-written musical compositions with words.

The closing date for IPO's public consultation is 4 March 2013. Any comments should be sent, preferably using the appropriate response form, before the closing date to:

Nick Ashworth

Intellectual Property Office

Concept House
Cardiff Road

Newport

South Wales

NP10 8QQ

United Kingdom

Email Term Directive Consultation team
Fax: +44 (0) 1633 817777