EMMA signs stakeholder letter raising concerns about the WIPO copyright exceptions discussions

Earlier this month, EMMA joined other international and European creative sector organisations in requesting that WIPO’s Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) clarify its mandate before committing to further work with regard to copyright limitations and exceptions.

As set out in the letter: “The future direction of the SCCR may have far-reaching implications for the international copyright framework in relation to the 11 topics of the working document on limitations and exceptions for libraries and archives, and the 24 topics of the working document on limitations and exceptions for educational, teaching and research institutions and persons with other disabilities.” Many of the topics, which a number of Member States wish to deal with through a legally binding international instrument, coupled with some requests for the extra-territorial application of mandatory exceptions at international level, go well beyond the acquis communautaire and risk severely prejudicing creative industries in Europe.

Signatories of the letter included the European Newspaper Publishers' Association, the Federation of European Publishers, the European Writers Council, the Motion Picture Association, the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations, the International Federation of Journalists, and others.

The full list of signatories and letter can be read as a pdf by clicking here.