Fwd: [All MEPs] EU Copyright Term Extension
Kevin Flanagan
From: KELLY Seán <sean....@europarl.europa.eu>
Date: 2011/5/10
Subject: RE: [All MEPs] EU Copyright Term Extension
To: kev.fl...@gmail.com
Kevin,
Thank you very much for such concise information. I found your mail
very interesting and I am currently doing some more research on the
matter as a result of your mail. I will do my utmost to fight the
matter. Should you discover any new information or require my
assistance on anything further related to this issue please do not
hesitate to contact me.
Best regards,
Sean Kelly MEP
-----Original Message-----
From: in...@contact.ie [mailto:in...@contact.ie] On Behalf Of
kev.fl...@gmail.com
Sent: 19 April 2011 21:19
To: in...@contact.ie; HARKIN Marian; HIGGINS Jim; DE ROSSA Proinsias;
CHILDERS Nessa; HIGGINS Joe; MITCHELL Gay; KELLY Seán; KELLY Alan;
AYLWARD Liam; CROWLEY Brian; GALLAGHER Pat the Cope;
patthecope...@oireachtas.ie; McGUINNESS Mairead
Subject: [All MEPs] EU Copyright Term Extension
Kevin Flanagan sent a message using the contact form at
http://contact.ie/contact.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am concerned to hear that Copyright term extension is again on the agenda
in the European parliament. This is an open letter as such I would like to
share your response publicly with the Saor Cultur community.
A wide range of European cultural heritage is due to fall into the
public domain including sound recordings from the 1950's and 1960′s this
would hugely enrich the cultural commons giving the European public their due
right to freely share and recycle old cultural works into new creative
projects.
The current term of copyright is 50 years. Copyright is a temporary
government granted monopoly the idea being to reward the production of
creative works and incentivise innovation.
Culture is a conversation. The creative works we encounter and that inspire
us often become as much a part of our own lives as that of the original
author. The original meaning of a creative work is transformed through the
process of cultural exchange and in time the works becomes a part of our
broader shared cultural heritage.
The proposed copyright extension from 50 to 70 years will apply to
all creative works currently under copyright. It doesn’t benefit the
general public nor does it do anything to further incentivise authors to
create. The only beneficiaries are the narrow interests of holders of
intellectual property portfolios such as the record labels that are lobbying
for this change. But what about the majority of culture that is not owned by
those special interests? Copyright term extension will effectively lock the
European public out of access to the majority of their cultural heritage.
Peter Bradwell of the Open Rights Group
has written an excellent article outlining the recent history of
copyright extension in the EU and why its back on the agenda. He also
includes valuable links to research on the issue.
“The economic evidence is stacked against the proposal. Leading
IP professors, the UK government’s ‘Gowers Review’ of IP, and
independent economic analysts have all said that extending the copyright term
is unwise. The Financial Times labelled the proposal ‘disgraceful’ in an
editorial in 2009. It will likely result in higher prices for consumers. It
will benefit only a small number of artists and businesses – according to a
joint academic statement, signed by 80 eminent academics, including several
Nobel Laureates, 96% of the economic returns will go to the major record
labels and top 20% of performers. Four leading IP professors this week argued
that ‘If there was a policy designed to suppress social and commercial
innovation, retrospective term extension would be your choice.’ Large
chunks of our cultural history will be locked up. “
http://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/2011/copyright-term-extension-you-can-help-stop-it
In the interest of preserving the public domain and our cultural common
wealth please oppose this extension.
Regards
Kevin Flanagan
Saor Cultur Eire
Report as inappropriate:
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