A wide group of IP figures, as well as representatives from the three main political parties, have gathered to discuss the biggest issues facing intellectual property rights in 2013 – with discussion of copyright dominating the debate.
It led to many voicing their concerns about the issues facing stable and coherent copyright regulation – namely the difficulty of enforcing copyright laws which are regularly reviewed and changed. This, said one MP, began with the Hargreaves report in 2011, leading to a “rot” in the UK copyright system.
Across the Western world, copyright law faces the task of adapting to the constantly evolving tech industry, reflecting its fast-paced nature and the constant emergence of new, lucrative technologies.
During the hour-long event, hosted in London, Professor Lionel Bently from the University of Cambridge acknowledged that enforcement was a serious issue, but rejected notions that copyright was “under attack.”
He said: “Historically, copyright has expanded massively. It started off as a limited right for 28 years given to authors but it now has been extended to 70 years, so I don’t see copyright as being under attack. However, what I do see is that it is becoming more difficult to enforce.”
He also acknowledged that copyright had lost consumer support.
Since the birth of the digital age, copyright has become paramount for new businesses looking to innovate.
Lord Clement-Jones argued that the “rot” of the law began with the Ian Hargreaves’ review in 2011, in which he said copyright was viewed as a barrier to innovation. This, he said, led to many cravats and exceptions in the current law that have damaged consumer confidence. He called for “better digital online enforcement”, which he dubbed as being “relatively poor”.
Conservative MP Mike Weatherley expressed a similar view. He said that Hargreaves “did give too much away” and that current legislation is “unfit for purpose.”
Meanwhile, agreeing with both, Labour’s Ian Wright said: “Over the years, there has been constant tinkering and reviews. We need stability so people have more confidence and understanding of what the IP regime is.”