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Print Chapter 9 (PDF 74KB) | < - Report Home < - Chapter 8 : Appendix A - > |
Introduction
WIPO Copyright Treaty
Performances and Phonograms Treaty
Entry into force
Implementation
Costs
Consultation
Conclusion and recommendations
Introduction |
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9.1 | Article 17.1.4 of the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) requires that Australia accede to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Copyright Treaty (Geneva, 20 December 1996) (WCT) and WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (Geneva, 20 December 1996) (WPPT). Accession is to have occurred prior to entry into force of the AUSFTA on 1 January 2005.1 |
9.2 | The WPPT and WCT were adopted at the WIPO Diplomatic Conference on Certain Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Questions in Geneva in December 1996. The treaties supplement the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (Berne Convention) and the International Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organisations (Rome Convention).2 |
9.3 | The WCT entered into force generally on 6 March 2002, after being ratified or acceded to by 30 countries, in accordance with its provisions.3 The WPPT entered into force generally on 20 May 2002, after being ratified or acceded to by 30 countries.4 |
9.4 | Australia actively participated in the making of these treaties and has worked towards accession since the conclusion of negotiations in 1996. Australia was one of the first countries to implement the main obligations of the treaties, with its enactment of the Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Act 2000.5 |
9.5 | The treaties expand the rights of copyright owners in works, films and sound recordings and for performers in the online environment. They also standardise the criteria for exceptions to copyright as applicable in the digital environment. 6 The WCT and WPPT mark ‘an important advance in improving international copyright standards to meet the challenges posed by digital technology’.7 |
9.6 | According to Ms Helen Daniels of the Attorney-General’s Department,
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WIPO Copyright Treaty |
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Background |
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9.7 | The National Interest Analysis (NIA) states that the WCT will benefit Australian copyright owners and performers by
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9.8 | Ms Daniels explained to the Committee that,
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9.9 | The Committee notes that, given that Australian law is already compliant with the majority of obligations under the WCT, it is beneficial to ratify the treaty so that Australian performers and copyright owners receive a similar level of protection in other member countries as they do in Australia.11 |
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Key benefits of the WCT |
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9.10 | The NIA outlines numerous benefits expected to occur as a result of Australian ratification of the WCT
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Key obligations under the WCT |
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9.11 |
The NIA also notes obligations to be incurred by Australia upon accession to the WCT
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Performances and Phonograms Treaty |
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Background |
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9.12 | The NIA states that the WPPT will benefit Australian copyright owners and performers by
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9.13 | The Committee notes that, given that Australian law is already compliant with the majority of obligations under the WPPT, it is beneficial to ratify the treaty so that Australian performers and copyright owners receive a similar level of protection in other member countries as they do in Australia.31 |
9.14 | The NIA explains that the WPPT
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9.15 | The operation and development of the WPPT will be governed by the Assembly of Contracting Parties, which will meet every two years.33 |
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Key benefits of the WPPT |
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9.16 | The NIA outlines numerous benefits expected to occur as a result of Australian ratification of the WPPT
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Key obligations under the WPPT |
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9.17 | The NIA also notes obligations to be incurred by Australia upon accession to the WPPT
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Reservations |
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9.18 | Generally, reservations to the WPPT are not permitted.55 However, Parties may take advantage of those limitations permitted in the Rome Convention, regarding the extent to which protection will be extended to the nationals of other Parties, based on the criteria of nationality, fixation and publication.56 |
9.19 | Due to the interaction between Articles 15(1) and 15(3) of the WPPT and Article 17.1.6 of the AUSFTA, Australia may take advantage of a reservation to the WPPT made by the United States, regarding an exception to national treatment with respect to the secondary use of phonograms in analogue communications and free-to-air radio broadcasting.57 |
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Entry into force |
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9.20 | The WPPT entered into force on 20 May 2002, and will bind Australia from the end of three months after Australia’s deposit of its instrument of accession.58 |
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Implementation |
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9.21 | The main obligations of the WPPT and WCT were implemented by the Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Act 2000. Further obligations are met by the US Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act 2004.59 |
9.22 | Implementation of the WPPT will require amendment to the Copyright Act to extend performers’ rights over sound recordings of their performances. 60 Further, performers must be granted moral rights performers as required by the WPPT. These moral rights are provided for in the US Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act 2004.61 |
9.23 | Consistent with implementation of the WCT, US Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act 2004 amended the Copyright Act to extend the duration of the term of photographic copyright to life of the author plus 70 years.62 |
9.24 | The Copyright (International Protection) Regulations 1969 will also be amended to extend protection granted under the Copyright Act to nationals of WPPT and WCT member countries.63 |
9.25 | Other requirements of the WPPT and WCT regarding copyright in the digital environment were incorporated into Australian law by the Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Act 2000.64 |
9.26 | The Committee notes that advice was sought from the Office of International Law to ensure that all aspects of Australian copyright law, notwithstanding the above mentioned amendments, are in compliance with the WPPT and the WCT.65 |
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Costs |
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9.27 | There will be no costs incurred as a result of Australia’s accession to the WPPT and WCT apart from those associated with participating in the WPPT’s Assembly of Contracting Parties and the WCT’s Assembly of Members States. As Australian law is compliant with the majority of the obligations of both treaties, the enforcement of these rights will not incur additional costs.66 |
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Consultation |
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9.28 | The Committee notes that these treaties have been the subject of formal and informal consultations with copyright stakeholders over a period of years from 1996 to 2004.67 |
9.29 | In 1997 the Attorney General’s Department sought comment on those aspects of the WPPT and WCT to be incorporated into the Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Act 2000, legislation relating to performers’ rights and the proposed extension of the copyright term over photographs.68 |
9.30 | Meetings have been held with representatives from the record, film, television and radio industries, including performers, producers and broadcasters. The NIA states that ‘most stakeholders do not object to amending the law to give new rights to performers and thus for Australia to be in a position to accede to the WPPT treaty’.69 |
9.31 | Recently, consultations were carried out with 64 copyright stakeholders.70 These stakeholders were contacted in May 2004 to seek their views on possible accession to the WCT and WPPT. As of June 2004, four submissions were received, from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Commercial Radio Australia (CRA), the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and the Australian War Memorial (which did not comment).71 ALIA’s concern related to the speed of the AUSFTA implementation process.72 |
9.32 | In regard to the ABC, the NIA states that
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9.33 | Mr Christopher Creswell of the Attorney-General’s Department advised the Committee that the ABC’s concerns were due to the fact that
Mr Creswell reassured the Committee that
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9.34 | The concerns of CRA are also outlined in the NIA
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9.35 | Mr Creswell assured the Committee that the CRA’s concerns are addressed in the AUSFTA exception and national treatment provisions, and that Australian radio stations will not have to pay remuneration for broadcasting US recordings when this does not occur in the US.77 |
9.36 | In regard to consultation with State and Territory Governments, the NIA states that
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Conclusion and recommendations |
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9.37 | The Committee notes that, given that Australian law is already compliant with the majority of obligations under the WPPT and WCT, it is beneficial to accede to the treaty so that Australian performers and copyright owners receive a similar level of protection in other member countries as they do in Australia. Accession will also be beneficial in fulfilling Australia’s obligations under the AUSFTA and the SAFTA. |
Recommendation 9The Committee supports the WIPO Copyright Treaty, adopted by the Diplomatic Conference at Geneva on 20 December 1996 and recommends that binding treaty action be taken. |
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Recommendation 10The Committee supports the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty, adopted by the Diplomatic Conference at Geneva on 20 December 1996 and recommends that binding treaty action be taken. |
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Dr Andrew Southcott MP Committee Chair |
1 | World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT) National Interest Analysis (NIA), para. 2; WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) NIA, para. 2. Back |
2 | WPPT NIA, para. 6; WCT NIA, para. 6. Back |
3 | WCT NIA, para. 3. Back |
4 | WPPT NIA, para. 3. Back |
5 | Ms Helen Daniels, Transcript of Evidence, 9 August 2004, p. 14. Back |
6 | Ms Helen Daniels, Transcript of Evidence, 9 August 2004, p. 14. Back |
7 | Ms Helen Daniels, Transcript of Evidence, 9 August 2004, p. 14. Back |
8 | Ms Helen Daniels, Transcript of Evidence, 9 August 2004, p. 16. Back |
9 | WCT NIA, para. 6. Back |
10 | Ms Helen Daniels, Transcript of Evidence, 9 August 2004, p. 15. Back |
11 | WCT NIA, para. 6. Back |
12 | WCT NIA, para. 7. Back |
13 | WCT NIA, para. 11. Back |
14 | WCT NIA, para. 8. Back |
15 | WCT NIA, para. 22. Back |
16 | WCT NIA, para. 9. Back |
17 | WCT NIA, para. 10. Back |
18 | WCT NIA, para. 12. Back |
19 | WCT NIA, para. 13; WCT Article 6. Back |
20 | WCT NIA, para. 14; WCT Article 7. Back |
21 | WCT NIA, para. 15; WCT Article 8. Back |
22 | WCT NIA, para. 16; WCT Article 9. Back |
23 | WCT NIA, para. 17; WCT Article 4. Back |
24 | WCT NIA, para. 17; WCT Article 5. Back |
25 | WCT NIA, para. 18; WCT Articles 11 and 12. Back |
26 | WCT NIA, para. 19; WCT Article 10. Back |
27 | Ms Helen Daniels, Transcript of Evidence, 9 August 2004, p. 15. Back |
28 | WCT NIA para. 20; WCT Article 14(2). Back |
29 | WCT NIA, para. 21; WCT Article 3; Berne Convention Articles 2 - 6. Back |
30 | WPPT NIA, para. 7. Back |
31 | WPPT NIA, para. 7. Back |
32 | WPPT NIA, para. 14. Back |
33 | WPPT NIA, para. 27; WPPT Article 24. Back |
34 | WPPT NIA, paras. 8 and 12. Back |
35 | WPPT NIA, para. 9. Back |
36 | WPPT NIA, para. 10. Back |
37 | WPPT NIA, para. 11. Back |
38 | WPPT NIA, para. 13. Back |
39 | WPPT NIA, para. 14. Back |
40 | WPPT NIA, para. 15; WPPT Article 4(1). Back |
41 | WPPT NIA, para. 13. Back |
42 | WPPT NIA, para. 16; WPPT Article 5(1). Back |
43 | WPPT NIA, para. 17; WPPT Article 6. Back |
44 | WPPT NIA, para. 18; WPPT Articles 7 and 11. Back |
45 | WPPT NIA, para. 19; WPPT Articles 8 and 12. Back |
46 | WPPT NIA, para. 20; WPPT Articles 9 and 13. Back |
47 | WPPT NIA, para. 21; WPPT Articles 10 and 14. Back |
48 | WPPT NIA, para. 22; WPPT Article 15. Back |
49 | WPPT NIA, para. 23; WPPT Article 17. Back |
50 | WPPT NIA, para. 23; AUSFTA, Article 17.4.4. Back |
51 | WPPT NIA, para. 23. Back |
52 | WPPT NIA, para. 24; WPPT Articles 18 and 19. Back |
53 | WPPT NIA, para. 25, WPPT Article 16. Back |
54 | WPPT NIA, para. 26; WPPT Article 23. Back |
55 | WPPT NIA, para. 38; WPPT Article 21. Back |
56 | WPPT NIA, para. 38; WPPT Article 3(3). Back |
57 | WPPT NIA, para. 37; Ms Helen Daniels, Transcript of Evidence, 9 August 2004, p. 15. Back |
58 | WPPT NIA, para. 3. Back |
59 | Ms Helen Daniels, Transcript of Evidence, 9 August 2004, p. 15. Back |
60 | WPPT NIA, para. 28. Back |
61 | Ms Helen Daniels, Transcript of Evidence, 9 August 2004, p. 16. Back |
62 | WCT NIA, para. 22. Back |
63 | WPPT NIA, para. 29; WCT NIA , para. 23. Back |
64 | WPPT NIA, para. 30; WCT NIA , para. 24. Back |
65 | Ms Helen Daniels, Transcript of Evidence, 9 August 2004, p. 16. Back |
66 | WPPT NIA, para. 31; WCT NIA , para. 25. Back |
67 | WPPT NIA, Annex 1; WCT NIA, Annex 1. Back |
68 | WPPT NIA, Annex 1; WCT NIA, Annex 1. Back |
69 | WPPT NIA, Annex 1; WCT NIA, Annex 1. Back |
70 | WPPT NIA, para. 33; WCT NIA, para. 27. Back |
71 | Ms Helen Daniels , Transcript of Evidence, 9 August 2004 , pp. 16-17. Back |
72 | WPPT NIA, Annex 1; WCT NIA, Annex 1. Back |
73 | WPPT NIA, Annex 1; WCT NIA, Annex 1. Back |
74 | Mr Christopher Creswell, Transcript of Evidence, 9 August 2004, p. 17. Back |
75 | Mr Christopher Creswell, Transcript of Evidence, 9 August 2004, p. 17. Back |
76 | WPPT NIA, Annex 1; WCR NIA, Annex . Back |
77 | Mr Christopher Creswell , Transcript of Evidence, 9 August 2004 , p. 17. Back |
78 | WPPT NIA, para. 32; WCT NIA, para. 26. Back |
Print Chapter 9 (PDF 74KB) | < - Report Home < - Chapter 8 : Appendix A - > |