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Major Report on IP Issues Released in UK
The much-anticipated Gowers Report on IP was released on December 6, 2006. Among the 150-page report’s recommendations are: no extension in the 50-year term of copyright for sound recordings, no retrospective alterations to IP rights (term and scope), no expansion of patent rights for software, business methods and genes, permitting limited private copying for format shifting (e.g. CD-to-MP3) with no accompanying levy, permitting private copying for research purposes of all forms of content, creating an “orphan works” provision, and providing libraries and archives with the right to make copies (including format shifting) for preservation purposes.
The report further indicated that piracy and counterfeiting are the biggest challenges facing the IP system. On that point, the report recommends that penalties for persons who sell pirated (soft copy) versions of music and films over the Internet should be subject to the same penalties as those who make hard (physical) copies, along with several recommendations to increase the amount and effectiveness of enforcement.
For a copy of the Gowers Report, visit:
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/53F/C8/pbr06_gowers_report_755.pdf