BE/03/0293
Budapest, 4-5 June, 2003
Source language: English

Resolution on the harmonisation of Author's Rights with European rules for countries applying for European Union membership

The Executive Bureau and the Administrative Council of CISAC (International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers), an international non-governmental and non-profit organisation with 204 member-societies from 107 countries representing more than 2.5 million authors, composers and publishers world-wide, in their meetings held in Budapest, Hungary respectively on 4th and 5th June 2003,

Disturbed about the fact that the copyright law harmonization due to the imminent accession of a number of European countries to the European Union is taken as an occasion to weaken the legal basis of the efficient collective administration of authors' rights in some of these countries (Hungary, Poland, Slovakia);

Reminds that copyright is one of the supporting pillars of the maintenance of the cultural diversity of Europe, which is a declared aim of the European Union;

Recalls that the collective rights administration is the only effective means to enforce the rights of the national and foreign authors and their successors in title in certain types of uses and, at a same time, a counterbalance against the preponderance of concerted users;

Expresses its deep concern that the Transposition Drafts and the new legislation already in force, in certain countries, aim at diminishing the acquired rights of authors and composers and their shares in equitable remunerations and weaken the position of societies in relation to major users, primarily radio and television broadcasters and cable operators;

Recalls that the inclusion of the territories of the new member countries into the unified internal market and the abolishment of the internal customs borders should not deprive the collecting societies of the means to enforce their claims to home taping and reprography royalties;

Expresses its deepest concern that the intervention of non-cultural government agencies into the free establishment of the tariffs and the free and voluntary negotiations with the representatives of the users is growing.

The Executive Bureau and the Administrative Council of CISAC hereby urge the authorities of the countries in the process of accession to the EU to avoid that the Accession mean the derogation of rights for such an important part of the society as the creative community.

CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENT reserved for CISAC members