
Based on the recommendations from the Hargreaves Review, which looked at how to bring Britain’s archaic IP laws into the 21st century, the consultation aims to encourage the creation and use of copyright material such as music, books or video.
It is estimated that successful reform of IP law could add up to ?8bn to the UK economy. The proposals include:- Creating an exception to allow limited acts of private copying (for example making it legal to copy a CD to an MP3 player).
- Widening the exception for non-commercial research to allow data mining, enabling researchers to achieve new medical and scientific advances from existing research.
- Introducing an exception for parody and pastiche.
- Establishing licensing and clearance procedures for “orphan works” (material with unknown copyright owners).
- Introducing provision for voluntary extended collective licensing schemes, which would make it simpler to get permission to use copyrighted works and help ensure rights owners are paid. These schemes would allow authorised collecting societies to license on behalf of all rights holders in a sector (except for those who choose to opt out).
- Modernising other exceptions to copyright including those for education, quotation, and people with disabilities.
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