Royalties longer than life - statement on copyright term extension in Europe

Internet Society Poland has issued position paper on the proposed amendment to the European directive no. 2006/116 regarding copyright term extension.

ISOC Poland urges the Polish government to oppose the proposed legislation.

The amendment proposes an increase of the copyright term protection on sound recordings and performances from current 50 to 95 years. This issue has been already discussed in 2006 in Great Britain and the proposal have been rejected due to heavy criticism, most notably in the Gowers Review of Intellectual Property, commissioned by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

We have analyzed the evidence available and we came to conclusion that it is not performance artists that would benefit from the proposed legislation. The proposed copyright term extension will benefit only incumbent media industry and the will increase burden on consumers, libraries, cultural and educational institutions, effectively limiting free exchange of cultural property of great historical importance and without commercial viability.

A statement in full is attached (in Polish).

wersja polska