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10 Mar 2009 02:21 PM
SABIP publishes strategic priorities paper to launch work on copyright

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