Led by Vice-Minister Yan Xiaohong from the National Copyright Administration of China (NCAC) and Dr. Michael Pulch, Minister Counsellor from the Delegation of the European Commission to China, a two-day conference on global trends in copyright protection and the challenges facing creative industries opened in Wuhan today. The conference, hosted by the Zhongnan University of Economics and Law (ZUEL) and attended by close to 150 participants from international copyright related government bodies – legislators and enforcement bodies, courts, industry and academia – is a joint initiative between the NCAC, the EU-China IPR2 Project, the US Chamber of Commerce, the Quality Brand Protection Committee (QBPC) and the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
The conference provides a platform to “enhance international cooperation in strengthening the copyright protection environment” Vice Minister Yan said. Over the two days, right holders and copyright professionals from China, Europe and the US will have a unique opportunity to explore the legal challenges being faced by the music, film, television and broadcasting, software, on-line gaming, publishing and design industries; and share views and experiences on how these challenges are being met. In a separate meeting, Vice Minister Yan referred to yesterday’s announcement on China’s new tariff rates for broadcasters (ref. Provisional Measures On the Remuneration Payment of Radio Stations and Television Stations for Broadcasting Sound Recordings http://www.chinacourt.org/flwk/show.php?file_id=139272).
The evolution of information technologies has presented many new opportunities for creative industries to access new channels for sharing ideas and trading their work, yet it also poses some particular challenges for protecting rights. Dr Pulch stressed that "the online environment questions [the] conception of knowledge diffusion. The internet is a formidable source of innovation but piracy stands to stifle creativity. A vibrant industry cannot develop if copyright is not properly protected."
The legal framework governing and protecting copyrighted works should aim to keep pace; and in doing so, strike a balance between copyright protection and equitable access to information.
Source: ipr2.org
