ORG Issue: Release The Music

Record industry bodies want more time for exclusive control of their sound recordings. The issue will ultimately be decided by the European Commission. Our government rejects these demands because extension would direct economic benefits to a special interest group, rather than society as whole. In this instance the copyright ‘balance’ requires the recordings be allowed to enter the public domain, where they can be used freely by everyone, rather than only rights holders.

Latest Release The Music news

Parliament buckles: copyright extension goes through to Council of Ministers

Posted by Gavin on April 23rd, 2009 in categories Copyright, Intellectual Property, Public Domain, Release The Music 15 Comments »

Against widespread dissent and controversy MEPs in the European Parliament voted this morning to allow copyright term extension to pass a first reading.
4 out of the 7 main groups (ALDE, GREENS/EFA, NGL, IND/ DEM) together with a cross party platform of MEPs voted to reject the proposal. Internal opposition threatened the group positions of the [...]

Last day to tell your MEPs: Do not enclose the cultural commons

Posted by Gavin on April 21st, 2009 in categories Copyright, Intellectual Property, Public Domain, Release The Music 3 Comments »

Wednesday is the last full day to lobby your MEPs in Strasbourg before this Thursday’s vote on copyright term extension.
A cross party platform of MEPs have tabled an amendment to reject the proposal to extend the term of sound copyrights beyond 50 years. Contact your MEPs in Strasbourg and ask them to support [...]

European Parliament votes on copyright extension next Thursday

Posted by Gavin on April 17th, 2009 in categories Copyright, Intellectual Property, Public Domain, Release The Music 1 Comment »

Intense lobbying pressure has resulted in last minute tabling of the copyright term extension proposal, for a full plenary vote in the European Parliament, in Strasbourg next thursday. However, with the European elections rapidly approaching and the Council of Ministers currently blocking the proposal, its future cannot be guaranteed.

Reanimating a discredited text that doesn’t deliver what [...]

MEPs back off from copyright term extension vote!

Posted by Jim Killock on March 19th, 2009 in categories Copyright, Intellectual Property, Public Domain, Release The Music No Comments »

Amid intense lobbying in the European Parliament next Monday’s vote on the proposal to extend the term of copyright has been struck off in a shock move. Following a meeting of the presidents of the political groups in the European Parliament on Tuesday, and with controversy and a lack of consensus surrounding the proposal, MEPs [...]

Copyright extension vote on 23rd March: contact your MEPs now!

Posted by Gavin on March 11th, 2009 in categories Copyright, Intellectual Property, Public Domain, Release The Music 1 Comment »

With the European Parliament set to vote on 23 March on extending the term of copyright for sound recordings, key European experts opposing the extension have released a new letter to MEPs warning of the dangers. Highlighting that the costs to the public are likely to exceed €1 billion the academics warn:
If Europe wishes to [...]

Consumers, citizens and information professionals around the world unite to condemn copyright extension

Posted by Jim Killock on January 21st, 2009 in categories Computer Law, Copyright, DRM, ORG Events, Public Domain, Release The Music 5 Comments »

Update (22.01.09): The European Bureau of Library, Information and Documentation Associations (EBLIDA) and French digital rights activists La Quadrature du Net have added their support to the joint statement,

Today, organisations representing consumers, citizens and libraries around the world united to condemn copyright term extension in Europe. The joint statement was sent to MEPs who sit [...]

Come to Brussels and demand sound copyright

Posted by Becky on January 16th, 2009 in categories Copyright, Intellectual Property, ORG Events, Public Domain, Release The Music 22 Comments »

The European Parliament is set to vote on whether to double the term of copyright in sound recordings in early 2009. The Open Rights Group Sound Copyright campaign invites you to register your concern at an event on the proposed Term Extension Directive, on Tuesday 27 January 2009, in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Update: this [...]

A crucial year for ORG - let’s make sure our voice gets heard

I’m delighted to be writing this as the new Executive Director of the Open Rights Group, whose work I have been watching with enthusiasm for the last few years.
In the last two years, under Becky’s leadership, ORG has developed a formidable media presence, and built a reputation for strong, evidence-based policy in fields as diverse [...]

UK Government launches new consultation on copyright

Posted by Becky on December 18th, 2008 in categories Copyright, Creative Commons, DRM, Intellectual Property, Public Domain, Release The Music 3 Comments »

When Andy Burnham indicated last week that he was willing to consider extending copyright term despite robust, independent evidence that it would cost consumers dear and benefit artists little, many in the Open Rights Group community were outraged. On top of the now 2 year delay to see vital exceptions and limitations to copyright law [...]

Screw the evidence, says Burnham, let’s extend copyright term anyway think about extending term, maybe, perhaps…

Posted by Becky on December 11th, 2008 in categories Copyright, Public Domain, Release The Music 14 Comments »

Update (15/12/08): The Department of Culture Media and Sport have now released the full text of Burnham’s speech last Thursday, and it appears the report we referenced in Music Week was misleading. It is in fact far from clear whether the Government have U-turned on their policy not to support term extension, or whether this [...]