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[ARSCLIST] Petition to oppose copyright term extension in Europe
I've just learned, courtesy of Jerry McBride, about an online petition to
oppose the proposed extension to the copyright term for recordings in the EU.
As you may know, the Gowers commission in England and the EU staff in
Brussels were each asked to review the current 50-year term for recordings there,
and after much analysis both came to the same conclusion - that there was no
economic or social justification for lengthening the term. Nevertheless the
record companies have been pressuring EU politicians to do so anyway, and just
recently EU commissioner Charlie McGreevy announced that he is recommending
extending the copyright term in sound recordings to 95 years.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Open Rights Group (based in
London) have mounted a petition to oppose this extension, which has already drawn
6,464 signatures. I'd urge everyone concerned with this issue to sign it.
Whether you agree with the details or not, let them know people do care!
The petition can be found at _http://www.soundcopyright.eu/petition_
(http://www.soundcopyright.eu/petition)
Anyone from any country can sign, although signatures from European citizens
are obviously most important.
More information on the EFF and ORG, as well as on the proposal, can be
found on this site. Note that McGreevy has not said whether an extension would be
retroactive, but you can bet the record companies will try to get that too.
My apologies if this has already been posted, and forgive the cross posting
- I haven't seen it here yet. Feel free to copy it to other lists,
particularly those with European members.
Tim Brooks
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