STRATEGIC ADVISORY
BOARD FOR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY POLICY News Release issued by COI
News Distribution Service. 10 March 2009
When Minister
David Lammy launched a debate about the role of copyright in the
digital age in December 2008, he invited the Strategic Advisory
Board for Intellectual Property Policy (SABIP) to provide
complementary advice to the work of the Intellectual Property
Office. SABIP has today published a paper laying out priorities
for its copyright work programme over the coming months.
In the paper, the independent advisory body has put forward six
areas as strategic priorities for its work on copyright. These
are: the role of the copyright system in fostering creativity and
innovation, the ownership and coverage of copyright, rights
management techniques and technologies, the relationship between
copyright and contract law, possible simplification of the
copyright framework, and the impact of changing attitudes and
practices among consumers.
Joly Dixon, SABIP's Chairman, explained, "Since
December, we have been working with a panel of copyright experts
to formulate the proposals for our work programme as set out in
this paper. Our intention is to examine the strengths and
shortcomings of the copyright framework in the context of a
rapidly changing environment. We plan to stimulate debate and
commission independent research in these areas before drawing any
conclusions and making our policy recommendations. In developing
our work, we will also take account of issues identified by the
work of the IPO and the Digital Britain programme."
Commenting on the paper and what he hoped SABIP could achieve
through its work programme, Minister for Intellectual Property,
David Lammy MP, stated:
"I am delighted to see that SABIP intends to embark upon
this research programme on copyright- an area that affects us all.
It is particularly important in the current economic climate to
have in place a copyright system which encourages and rewards
creation and innovation and provides the right incentives for
investment. From an economic as well as a social policy
perspective, we must also be conscious of the growing appetite
amongst consumers for innovation and variety in the way the
creator's work is brought to them and the way in which they
can interact with it."
The paper is not a formal consultation document, but SABIP will
welcome any comments on the scope of its work programme, which is
designed to provide some fundamental analysis of the complex
copyright framework.
Editors' Notes
* SABIP was set up following a recommendation of the Gowers
Review of Intellectual Property. It is a non-departmental public
body which provides strategic independent advice to Government on
Intellectual Property policy.
* The IPO published an issues paper entitled, '(c) The
Future: Developing a Copyright Agenda for the 21st Century in
December 2008.'
* Further information about SABIP can be found at http://www.sabip.org.uk
* For enquiries about this press release please email Tom.Walkden@ipo.gov.uk