New report - Copyright works: streamlining copyright licensing for the digital age

One of the key recommendations from last year’s Hargreaves review of intellectual property and growth was the establishment of a ‘digital copyright exchange’ to improve licensing structures ensuring greater access to works. A Government commissioned study into how a digital copyright exchange might operate in practice reported its findings today.

The report recommend further efforts to improve the quality of data identifying works and rightholders and a greater use of tools, such as common identifiers and standards, to link different databases together. The report notes that an improved data and database framework would provide the platform for creating a ‘Copyright Hub’ which could provide some of the following:

• A rights marketplace
• licensing solutions
• registries of rights and search registration facilities (e.g. to validate searches for orphan works)
• a single point for copyright information and education.

In terms of taking this work forward, the report envisages the establishment of a not-for-profit industry- funded body to co-ordinate and report on progress across the various work streams. ALCS has already made representations to the authors of the report regarding the need for adequate representation of authors/ creators within this developing framework.
 

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