Charlie McCreevy, the EU's Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services, wants to nearly double the European copyright term in sound recordings - from 50 years to an astounding 95. Join us and stop overextending copyright.
If you read Commissioner McCreevy's declaration this month to bring American-style copyright terms for sound recordings to the EU, one might have thought that it was all a done deal. He gave the impression that he had consulted with everybody who counted in the matter, balanced all the arguments, and had all the powerful players on his side.
We don't think he has. McCreevy still has to persuade his fellow Commissioners and the European Parliament before sound recordings are locked away in Europe for another 45 years. And while the record labels support the government stretching their contracts far into the future, the facts stand against term extension. Impartial studies, copyright scholars, and some of the world's most respected economists all say that longer terms mean little new wealth for performers, yet create all the disadvantages of a creative world depleted of its valuable long-promised public domain.
And it's not true that McCreevy and the Commission have heard from all the key figures. They have yet to hear from you.
To help the EU's decisionmakers understand how bad an idea for innovation and the future copyright term extension is, EFF has joined forces with Britain's Open Rights Group to launch a grassroots-led campaign against McCreevy's plans.
Visit Sound Copyright now to learn more (in English, French or German), and add your voice.
