merrion street

The Minister for Research and Innovation Mr. Sean Sherlock T.D. referred today [Thursday] to the ongoing Review of the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 and commented that ’the Review Committee is very pleased with the response so far. However, the Review Committee and I would like to emphasise that we are particularly interested in ensuring that submissions are received from users of digital content and from start-up companies in the digital environment.’

The Minister set up the Copyright Review Committee to examine the current Copyright legislative framework to identify any areas of the legislation that might be deemed to create barriers to innovation, and to make recommendations to resolve any problems identified. The Review will ultimately present a Report to Government with a set of recommendations for legislative change.

Minister Sherlock said; ‘The Chair of the Review Committee informed me that to date, the Committee has received very little empirical evidence on the economic effects of copyright policy, and in particular on the economic effects of possible changes to existing copyright law. I think it is important that the Review Committee should receive more submissions setting out and/or building on such economic evidence.’

The Minister went on to state that due to a number of requests for an extension of time for the receipt of submissions, the Copyright Review Committee has decided to extend the closing date to 5:00pm on Thursday 14 July 2011.

The Copyright Review Committee has also scheduled a public meeting about the Copyright Review at 8:30am on Monday 4 July 2011, in the Robert Emmet Lecture Theatre, Room 2037 Arts Block, Trinity College Dublin. Attendance is free and open to anyone interested in the work of the Committee, but registration is necessary.