[A2k] Term Extension "will damage Commission's reputation", top legal advisers tell Barroso

[Barbara Stratton]

>From the Sound Copyright website: http://www.soundcopyright.eu/blog/term-ex=
tension-will-damage-commissions-reputation-top-legal-advisers-tell-barroso

Term Extension "will damage Commission's reputation", top legal advisers te=
ll Barroso
Wed, 2008-06-18 12:12

Today, the leading European centres for intellectual property research have=
 released a joint letter to EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, en=
closing an impact assessment detailing the far reaching and negative effect=
s of the proposal to extend the term of copyright in sound recordings. With=
 the confusion and disillusionment of Ireland's rejection of the Lisbon Tre=
aty still ringing in the Commissions ears, the letter states:

"This Copyright Extension Directive, proposed by Commissioner McCreevy, is =
likely to damage seriously the reputation of the Commission. It is a specta=
cular kowtow to one single special interest group: the multinational record=
ing industry (Universal, Sony/BMG, Warner and EMI) hiding behind the rhetor=
ic of "aging performing artists".

"The Commission is required to conduct an impact study for each directive i=
t proposes. We, the leading European centres for intellectual property poli=
cy research, have collectively reviewed the empirical evidence. Our finding=
s are unanimous. The proposed Copyright Extension Directive will damage Eur=
opean creative endeavour and innovation beyond repair."

* Professor Lionel Bently, Director, Centre for Intellectual Property and I=
nformation Law, University of Cambridge
* Professor Michael Blakeney, Co-Director, Queen Mary Intellectual Property=
 Research Institute, University of London
* Christian von Borries, Composer, Producer, Conductor, project lead "Music=
 about music", Berlin
* Richard Chesser, Chair, Trade and Copyright Committee, International Asso=
ciation of Music Librarians (UK/IRL)
* Dr Martin Cloonan, Chair, International Association for the Study of Popu=
lar Music (UK/IRL)
* Professor Nicholas Cook, Director, AHRC Research Centre for the History a=
nd Analysis of Recorded Music, Royal Holloway, University of London
* Professor Johanna Gibson, Co-Director, Queen Mary Intellectual Property R=
esearch Centre, University of London
* Professor Bernt Hugenholtz, Director, Institute for Information Law, Univ=
ersity of Amsterdam
* Professor John Kay, Chair, British Academy Copyright Review
* Professor Martin Kretschmer, Director, Centre for Intellectual Property P=
olicy & Management, Bournemouth University
* Professor Hector MacQueen, Co-Director, SCRIPT/AHRC Centre Intellectual P=
roperty & Technology Law, University of Edinburgh
* Professor Charlotte Waelde, Co-Director, SCRIPT/AHRC Centre Intellectual =
Property & Technology Law, University of Edinburgh

followed by a list of First signatories (see Letter)

Letter to the President of the European Commission http://www.cippm.org.uk/=
images/Sound%20recordings%20%28Barroso%29.pdf
The Proposed Copyright Term Extension for Sound Recordings: A joint academi=
c statement on the evidence http://www.cippm.org.uk/images/copyright_sound_=
CIPPMsite.pdf


Barbara Stratton
Senior Policy Adviser, CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Inform=
ation Professionals
Secretary to LACA: the Libraries and Archives Copyright Alliance

CILIP, 7 Ridgmount Street, London WC1E 7AE
Tel: +44 (0)20 7255 0500 Fax: +44 (0)20 7255 0501
E-mail: info@cilip.org.uk Web: www.cilip.org.uk   LACA Web Site: www.cilip.=
org.uk/laca