UK introduces new standards for collecting societies
New regulations aimed at simplifying the system for obtaining copyright licences and collecting royalties have been introduced by the UK government.
The changes, which came into force on April 6, are designed to ensure collecting societies offer a minimum standard when clarifying the use of copyrighted work and collecting royalties.
The changes have stemmed from discussions between collecting societies and the government that resulted in many societies putting in place their own Codes of Practice setting out minimum standards of transparency and behaviour.
The new law includes powers that will make sure all collecting societies comply with these minimum standards.
Lord Younger, the UK’s IP minister, said any efforts that support self-regulation should be welcomed and he was pleased to see the progress that collecting societies had made setting their own Codes of Practice.
“The additional backstop power that has come into force is there to make sure those standards are met and to give businesses the certainty and clarity they need,” Younger said.
The regulations also pave the way for the implementation of secondary legislation to allow the UK to implement extended collective licensing (ECL) schemes.
Under an ECL scheme, a collecting society, subject to certain safeguards, is authorised to license copyright works on behalf of all rights holders in its sector, not just those it has specific permission to act from.
Implementation of the ECL scheme is planned for October 2014.
