UK Issues New Regulations On Copyright Collecting Societies

By Julia Fraser for Intellectual Property Watch

The United Kingdom has issued new regulations for collecting societies that it says clarify the licensing of copyrighted materials.

The “Copyright (Regulation of Relevant Licensing Bodies) Regulations 2014” came into force yesterday, 6 April. They are intended to provide legally enforceable “minimum standards” for all collecting societies to supplement their own existing Codes of Practice.

“The additional backstop power that has come into force today is there to make sure those standards are met and to give businesses the certainty and clarity they need,” Lord Younger, the UK IP minister, said in a UK Intellectual Property Office release.

“Collecting societies provide users licences for the public use of a range of copyright works, including music, articles, film and TV. Collecting societies use these licences to distribute individual royalties to creators and rights-holders” the UKIPO said. Examples of licensees can include pubs, bars, shops and schools.

They are part of wider reforms of UK copyright law to “make a clearer and more accessible copyright framework for users and rights-holders,” and have been positively welcomed by both the British Copyright Council Working Group and the Forum of Private Business.

Further information can be found on the UKIPO website.