Legislation implementing the European Copyright Directive was
laid before the UK Parliament on Friday. Among other things, it
extends the UK's copyright laws to deal with digital piracy, albeit
ten months behind the EU's deadline.
The Copyright and Related Rights Regulations 2003 will amend the
country's main copyright law – the Copyright Designs and Patents
Act of 1988. The Regulations effecting the changes will come into
force on 31st October.
The Copyright Directive, passed in 2001, was the EU's attempt to
update copyright protection to the digital age. It sets out new
rules on the protection of anti-copying technologies and digital
rights management, controversially echoing some provisions of
America's much-criticised Digital Millennium Copyright Act of
1998.
It is also the means by which the European Union and its Member
States will implement two 1996 World Intellectual Property
Organisation (WIPO) "Internet Treaties": the WIPO Copyright Treaty
and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty..
The Directive was due to be implemented in the UK by 22nd
December last year but has been repeatedly delayed. The Copyright
Directorate blamed the delay on the complexity of the changes.
The new Regulations are available at:
www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2003/20032498.htm
More information is at:
www.patent.gov.uk/copy/notices/2003/copy_direct3.htm
