UNIONS TO FIGHT AMENDMENT ON COPYRIGHT

SEVERAL unions have announced that they are to fight what they term a “damaging” amendment to new European copyright rules.
The amendment to the Copyright Directive, which will prevent writers, performers, and directors from negotiating royalty payments, was tabled only days before European MPs were due to vote on the new law.
BECTU, along with other unions including the Writers' Guild, and UK-based copyright organisations, are mounting a last minute lobbying effort to persuade members of the European Parliament to vote against the amendment on February 14.
Campaigners fear that if the amendment is incorporated in the Directive, broadcasting organisations across Europe will be able to cut payments that are made for use of archive material.
At present, television and radio channels have to negotiate payments to re-run old programmes with individual rights owners or with the many copyright collection associations that have been set up. However, the amendment would allow broadcasters to use their archives to launch new services, including digital video on demand, without any need to agree royalty payments with the workers who helped to create the programmes.
Although performers and rights holders would be entitled to ‘equitable remuneration’ from producers, they would have no right to refuse permission for their programmes to be re-run, and no ability to negotiate improved payments.
Last-minute lobbying activities were expected to include an e-mail offensive to brief members of the European Parliament on the devastating impact that the amendment would have on creative workers.
The Writers' Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) also plan to send a delegation to the plenary meeting of Parliament in Strasbourg on February 14. (CD)