Although the Government’s copyright modernisation programme has been largely welcomed by those in the creative world, the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS) is concerned about proposals to significantly widen the current ‘fair dealing’ exceptions; that is, limited allowances permitting use of copyright works without a licence in specific circumstances.
Chief Executive of the ALCS, Owen Atkinson has said that, while it is reassuring that the government has recognised the importance of secondary licence income to writers, writing and creativity within its latest recommendations, the ALCS will continue to work with the Government and the European Commission to ensure that writer’s interests are protected wherever changes to copyright are proposed.
In addition, the European Commission published plans for its own review of copyright in December. The review set out a two-year programme to look at a number of areas including the exceptions to copyright that Member States may include in their national legislation.
Meantime the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Copyright Standing Committee has been considering the question of copyright exceptions for some time and has recently included the issue of educational use to its agenda.
Mr Atkinson added that there is clearly a growing impetus in international copyright discussions to explore ways to expand permitted access to authors’ works and that ALCS will continue to monitor and report on these developments, intervening and lobbying wherever necessary to protect the interests of writers.
The ALCS had been concerned about activities permitted by law without permission from rightsholders in the area of educational use but following testimonies from its members and in light of the evidence received during the consultation, the option to reduce the scope of the current educational licensing schemes will not be pursued.