[A2k] UK Gowers leak - copyright term not extended?

Tue Nov 28 05:48:01 2006

Please note that it has been reported that the UK has decided NOT to
extend the copyright term for sound recordings. This is  NOT the case. It
is a leak from a review that the Treasury has set up to review IP rights (
the Gowers Review). While encouraging we need to wait to see if this
recommendation makes it into the final report. Eevn if it does it is then
up to the the UK Government to decide if they will follow the
recommendation , although obviously it would be difficult to ignore the
recommendation, though this has happened before.

As the UK digital rights advocacy group recommends in the press release
below, it is important that advocacy activities are continued.

Michelle
---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: PRESS RELEASE: Gowers leak - copyright term not extended
From:    "Suw Charman" <suw@openrightsgroup.org>
Date:    Mon, November 27, 2006 9:48 am
To:      "Michael Holloway" <michael@openrightsgroup.org>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also online at:
http://www.openrightsgroup.org/press-releases/gowers-leak-copyright-term-not-extended/

For Immediate Release
A leak from the Gowers Review of Intellectual Property has indicated
that the government will reject calls from the music industry to
lengthen the term of copyright protection given to sound recordings.
If this is true, we are encouraged and delighted by the news.

As we have argued - alongside the British Library, the IPPR and
prominent musicians such as Dave Rowntree from Blur - it is essential
for the vitality of the music industry that they honour the copyright
bargain they have struck so that both old and new music can flourish.

Such a decision would be a victory for musicians and business alike,
making it possible for them to re-use, remix, and re-release classic
old recordings. The public will benefit too, from increased choice in
the re-release market and from a rich creative environment within
which contemporary artists can reinvigorate old recordings. And for
libraries it is essential, allowing them to preserve our cultural
heritage and provide public access to it without fear of lawsuits or
crippling copyright clearance fees.

However, until Andrew Gowers' final report is published, we urge
people to continue writing to their MPs asking them to oppose
copyright extension, and to sign the Open Rights Group petition at
http://www.releasethemusic.org/five-minutes/sign-our-petition/

For more information about term extension, please see our briefing pack:
http://www.releasethemusic.org/press/briefing-pack/

Notes for Editors
The Open Rights Group is a digital rights advocacy group based in the
UK. It aims to increase awareness of digital rights issues, help
foster grassroots activity and to preserve and extend civil liberties
in the digital age.

For more information, contact:

michael@openrightsgroup.org
Tel: +44 (0)20 7096 1079
www.openrightsgroup.org
www.releasethemusic.org

--
Michelle Childs -Head of European Affairs
Consumer Project on Technology in London
24, Highbury Crescent, London, N5 1RX,UK.
Tel:+44(0)207 226 6663 ex 252.
Mob:+44(0)790 386 4642. Fax: +44(0)207 354 0607
http://www.cptech.org

Consumer Project on Technology in Washington, DC
1621 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20009 USA .Tel.:
+1.202.332.2670,Fax: +1.202.332.2673

Consumer Project on Technology in Geneva
1 Route des  Morillons, CP 2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 791 6727