The UK Intellectual Property Office (UK-IPO) announced a review of the Copyright Tribunal rules which will make the Tribunal quicker and cheaper to use, particularly for individuals and small businesses, a press release by the UK-IPO stated.
The consultation includes the following key proposals:
• Streamlining of cases for large-scale litigation in order to reduce costs for parties;
• Introduction of a small applications fast track system for cases of low financial value in order to improve accessibility for small business and individuals;
• Modernization of the rules, in particular by incorporating case management techniques from the Civil Procedure Rules.
"The new rules will make the Copyright Tribunal a more efficient forum for resolving licensing disputes. The consultation proposes changes to make it easier, quicker and cheaper for cases to be dealt with by the service. I anticipate that small businesses and individuals in particular will benefit from the proposed changes," Minister of State for Intellectual Property David Lammy said.
The draft proposals are available on the UK-IPO website. They take into account the recommendations of the Innovation, Universities and Skills Select Committee in the March 2008 report on the work and operation of the Copyright Tribunal and stakeholder comments received in that context. The proposals form part of a wider package of reforms of the Tribunal.
SOURCE:AGIPNEWS
