DACS are pleased to today publish a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) providing an independent economic analysis of the impact of copyright protection, secondary copyright (the reproduction of copyright works) and collective licensing in the UK.
Commissioned by DACS, together with CLA, ALCS and PLS, the report seeks to respond to the Government’s review of the UK intellectual property (IP) system, which includes UK copyright law.
The Review is being led by Professor Ian Hargreaves and aims to identify barriers to growth in the IP system and how the IP framework could better enable business models appropriate to the digital age. The Review (which called for submissions by 4 March) is particularly seeking “economic data and related evidence which are methodically sound, robust and clearly sourced.”
Although there have been several Government consultations and enquiries into copyright over the last 5 years, we recognise that a detailed economic analysis of the role of copyright, with reference in particular to the publishing industry and collective licensing, has not previously been undertaken. The debate has been conducted without the benefit of an economic framework and has been lacking some of the key data that underpins many arguments.
In developing their report, PwC worked with a range of copyright owners and users, as well as with the IPO, to develop what we believe is a helpful contribution to the Review.
Read thePwC Report and our accompanying DACS submission to the IP Review and DACS Artists' Survey 2011.
"Our creative industries are leaders in innovation and employ hundreds of thousands in knowledge-based, high-value, export-driven businesses. We therefore welcome discussion about the best way to create an environment that helps this. Indeed, we have commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers to review the economic impact of copyright and collective licensing in the UK.
We must be sure that any reform of copyright protects the creators and publishers that produce content and boosts innovation, rather than merely enriching content aggregators, such as Google. We want to ensure that the UK creative industry continues to be a British economic success story and we know that strong IP laws are critical to this."
DACS, ALCS, CLA, & PLS
Contact:
Media please contact: Nicola Green, Midas PR, 020 7361 7865, ni[email protected]
Others please contact: Tania Spriggens, DACS, [email protected]
Photo: Betsie van de Meer. © Brian Benson 2013