Consultation on proposals to change the UK's copyright system
Reference: 2011-004
Launch date: 14 December 2011
Closing date: 21 March 2012
Copyright law governs what users can do with copyright works. Technology has changed out of all recognition since the copyright rules were last amended. The Government has developed proposals intended to make copyright rules more flexible, and better suited to today's needs.
The consultation covers the rules on copying for educational uses, for people with disabilities, for quotation and reporting current events, for preservation by libraries and archives, for research and private study, for text mining for research, for parody, and for public administration. It proposes protecting all those users' rights from being removed by contracts. It also proposes a solution to the problem of orphan works, and proposes regulation of copyright Collecting Societies.
The consultation will be of interest to a wide range of people and institutions including (but not only): consumers, authors and creators, publishers, content providers, libraries, schools and universities. We seek responses from everyone with an interest, by 21 March. The Government will consider all responses to this consultation, and then determine the best way forward.
- Consultation on Copyright
(3.42Mb) - Consultation response form (297Kb)
- Open and transparent evidence guidance (90Kb)
The Government has prepared initial assessments of the impacts of the measured proposed in the consultation. We seek more thorough evidence through the consultation, to base policy decisions and legislation on.
Impact Assessments- BIS0306: Copyright exception for archiving and preservation (116Kb)
- BIS0308: Copyright exceptions for disabled people (163Kb)
- BIS0309: Use of works for public administration and reporting (94Kb)
- BIS0310: Exception for use of quotations or extracts of copyright works (77Kb)
- BIS0311: Extend exception for copying for research and private study (106Kb)
- BIS0312: Exception for copying of works for use by text and data analytics (85Kb)
- BIS0313: Codes of Conduct (145Kb)
- BIS0315: Protecting copyright exceptions from override by contract (94Kb)
- BIS0316: Introducing / widening certain copyright exceptions (120Kb)
- BIS0317: Extending copyright exceptions for educational use (211Kb)
- BIS1054: Extended Collective Licensing (ECL) (113Kb)
- BIS1055: Copyright exception for private copying (258Kb)
- BIS1056: Copyright notices (154Kb)
- BIS1057: Copyright exception for parody (115Kb)
- BIS1063: Orphan works (199Kb)
How to respond
We welcome your views on this issue. Please send any comments, before the closing date to:
E-mail: Copyright Consultation
Fax: +44 (0)20 7034 2826
Please Note: This consultation forms part of a publication exercise. As such, your response may be subject to publication or disclosure in accordance with the access to information regimes (these are primarily the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004). We plan to post responses on the Review website when they are received, and they may be the subject of online discussion.
If you do not want part or whole of your response or name to be made public please state this clearly in the response, explaining why you regard the information you have provided as confidential. If we receive a request for disclosure of the information we will take full account of your explanation, but we cannot give an assurance that confidentiality can be maintained in all circumstances. An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system cannot be regarded as a formal request for confidentiality.
We will process your personal data in accordance with the DPA.
General enquiries about the Review should be sent to the e-mail or postal addresses above.
Fast Facts
Have your say!
We are running a series of copyright consultation events where people can ask questions or comment on the proposed changes to the UK's copyright system.