[Commons-Law] *MEPs back off from copyright term extension vote!*

[Patrice Riemens]

Forwarded from rekombinant & INURA lists:

Dear Sound Copyright petitioner,
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
have delayed voting till the end of April - just before this summer's
European elections. A trialogue discussion between the European
Commission, Council and Parliament, set for the end of March, will
now attempt to broker a deal to see if the directive will be allowed
to pass.
MEPs are waking up to the reality that the proposal to extend
copyright term doesn't do what it says. It's a terrible and
unworkable instrument that will do nothing but bring copyright into
disrepute in the eyes of consumers. If you're concerned about the
need for a fair and balanced copyright framework you must contact
your MEPs now (1). Make your voice heard!
In other news this week Professor Martin Kretschmer, Director of the
Centre for Intellectual Property Policy & Management Bournmemouth,
and Horace Trubridge, Assistant General Secretary of the British
Musicians' Union, have been debating the copyright term extension
proposal (2). Additionally copyright creators in the Association for
Fair Audiovisual Copyright in Europe have launched a petition against
the proposal (3).
But right now the most important thing is to contact your MEPs (4)
and tell them why copyright term extension is a bad idea (5)! Use our
web banners (6) and spread the word.
Yours, the Sound Copyright Team
(1) http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/public.do?language=en (2)
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/shane_richmond/blog/2009/03/16/
copyright_extension_debate_we_must_not_inhibit_digital_creators
<http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/shane_richmond/blog/2009/03/16/%
20copyright_extension_debate_we_must_not_inhibit_digital_creators>_
(3) http://aface.eu/
(4) http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/public.do?language=en
(5) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kijON_XODUk
(6) http://www.soundcopyright.eu/badges
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