In questi giorni la Commissione Europea sta vagliando la proposta del Commissario Charlie McCreveevy (Internal Market & Services) di estendere il diritto esclusivo degli artisti interpreti ed esecutori delle musiche da 50 anni (termine attualmente in vigore) fino a 95 anni.

Ecco il testo della Commissione:

Intellectual Property: Commission adopts forward-looking package

The European Commission today adopted two initiatives in the area of copyright. First, the Commission proposes to align the copyright term for performers with that applicable to authors, in this way bridging the income gap that performers face toward the end of their lives. Secondly, the Commission proposes to fully harmonise the copyright term that applies to co-written musical compositions. In parallel, the Commission also adopted a Green Paper on Copyright in the Knowledge Economy. The consultation document focuses on topics that appear relevant for the development of a modern economy, driven by the rapid dissemination of knowledge and information. Both of these initiatives comprise a unique mix of social, economic and cultural measures aimed at maintaining Europe as a prime location for cultural creators in the entertainment and knowledge sectors.
Internal Market and Services Commissioner Charlie McCreevy said: "The copyright measures adopted today should underline that we take a holistic approach when it comes to intellectual property. The proposal on term extension has a strong social component and the Green Paper is deeply embedded in the overall societal and knowledge context". "I am committed to concentrate all necessary efforts to ensure that performers have a decent income and that there will be a European-based music industry in the years to come," the Commissioner continued specifically in relation to the term proposal.

Term of protection

The proposal on term extension envisages extending the term of protection for recorded performances and the record itself from 50 to 95 years. In this way, the proposal would benefit both the performer and the record producer. It also signals that Europe values their creative contribution.
The extended term would benefit performers who could continue earning money over an additional period. A 95-year term would bridge the income gap that performers face when they turn 70, just as their early performances recorded in their 20s would lose protection. They will continue to be eligible for broadcast remuneration, remuneration for performances in public places, such as bars and discotheques, and compensation payments for private copying of their performances.
The extended term would also benefit the record producers. It would generate additional revenue from the sale of records in shops and on the Internet. This should allow producers to adapt to the rapidly changing business environment which is characterised by a fast decline in physical sales (- 30% over the past five yeas) and the comparatively slow growth of online sales revenue.
In addition, when it concerns a musical composition, which contains the contributions of several authors, the Commission proposes a uniform way of calculating the term of protection. Music is overwhelmingly co-written. For example, in an opera, there are often different authors to the music and to the lyrics. Moreover, in musical genres such as jazz, rock and pop music, the creative process is often collaborative in nature. According to the proposed rule the term of protection of a musical composition shall expire 70 years after the death of the last surviving author, be it the author of the lyrics or the composer of the music

L'Expert Group on Information Law (EGIL) di EBLIDA (l’Associazione che rappresenta le biblioteche e le associazioni bibliotecarie presso gli organismi comunitari) ha inviato a cinque Commissari Europei una petizione con la quale comunica il forte disaccordo sulla proposta del Commissario Charlie McCreveevy.

L’Associazione Videoteche e Mediateche Italiane ha deciso di sostenere la petizione di Eblida contro la proposta di innalzamento del diritto estensivo, ed ha anch’essa inviato una lettera ai Commissari Europei [Neelie Kroes (Competition)  Ján Figel (Education, Training, Culture and Youth) Charlie McCreevy (Internal Market and Services) Viviane Reding (InfoSoc)] per manifestare il dissenso dell’Associazione nei confronti della sopraccitata proposta.

Di seguito trovate il testo della lettera inviata ai Commissari Europei:

Gentilissmo / a…, l’A. V. I.,

Associazione Mediateche e Videoteche Italiane, in rappresentanza degli oltre 80 enti italiani - mediateche, cineteche e biblioteche pubbliche e private - che vi aderiscono, si trova in profondo disaccordo con la proposta del Commissario Europeo Mr Charlie McCreevy di estendere il diritto esclusivo sulle opere musicali da 50 anni (termine attualmente in vigore) a 95 anni.
A nostro parere tale estensione non porta alcun beneficio alla creazione intellettuale, al contrario rischia di diventare un ostacolo al libero utilizzo a scopo didattico, educativo e culturale delle opere d’intelletto, ad unico beneficio delle industrie curatrici delle registrazioni già sufficientemente tutelate dai 50 anni di protezione del diritto d’autore. Per sottolineare la necessità di promuovere la creatività intellettuale ed il libero accesso alla conoscenza L’Associazione Videoteche e Mediateche Italiane si trova in accordo con le posizioni di EBLIDA nel rifiutare l’estensione del diritto esclusivo sulle opere musicali a 95 anni.

Cordiali Saluti,
Piero Colussi, Presidente A. V. I.”