The European Parliament is set to vote on whether to double the term of copyright in sound recordings in early 2009.
This flawed Directive has been unanimously condemned by Europe’s leading intellectual property research centers. The European Parliament must address the mounting concerns of consumer groups and copyright users if they want a modern, workable intellectual property policy
Copyright in sound recordings currently lasts for 50 years. Yet the recording industry continues to demand that this term be extended. But term extension would be an injustice to European musicians and musical culture, and may harm our economy.
Copyright is a bargain. In exchange for their investment in creating and distributing sound recordings to the public, copyright holders are granted a limited monopoly during which are allowed to control the use of those recordings. This includes the right to pursue anyone who uses their recordings without permission. But when this time is up, these works join Goethe, Hugo and Shakespeare in the proper place for all human culture – the public domain. In practice, because of repeated term extensions and the relatively short time in which sound recording techniques have been available, there are no public domain sound recordings.
This situation is about to change, as tracks from the first golden age of recorded sound reach the end of their copyright term. The public domain is about to benefit from its half of this bargain. Seminal soul, reggae, and rock and roll recordings will soon be freed from legal restrictions, allowing anyone (including the performers themselves and their heirs) to preserve, reissue, and remix them.
Major record labels want to keep control of sound recordings well beyond the current 50 year term so that they can continue to make marginal profits from the few recordings that are still commercially viable half a century after they were laid down. Yet if the balance of copyright tips in their favor, it will damage the music industry as a whole, and also individual artists, libraries, academics, businesses and the public.
What YOU can do:
1. Sign the petition
2. Talk to your MEP and ask them to:
* Strongly oppose this legislation
* Attend the 27 January event on your behalf
* Sign the Sound Copyright petition
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