§ Sir Ivan LawrenceTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy towards the proposed harmonisation of copyright in the EC; when action will become necessary on the issue; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe Government support harmonisation of copyright laws in the European Community where this is necessary for the proper functioning of the internal market, and particularly when the result is to increase protection elesewhere in the Community for works of United Kingdom origin. The European Commission has already embarked on an extensive programme of copyright harmonisation, the current situation being as follows:
- (a) a directive on the copyright protection of computer programs has been adopted and was implemented in the United Kingdom on 1 January 1993;
- (b) a directive on rental and lending rights and certain rights related to copyright was adopted on 19 November 1992;
- (c) a directive on copyright and related rights applicable to satellite broadcasting and cable transmission was adopted on 27 September 1993;
- (d) a common position was reached on 22 July 1993 on a directive harmonising the term of protection of copyright and certain related rights;
- (e) a draft directive on the legal protection of databases is under negotiation; and
- (f) the Commission is currently considering action on home taping of sound and audiovisual recordings, and is studying moral rights, reprography, artists' resale right and the collective administration of rights.