The meeting was held to explore the opportunities arising from the development of improved intellectual property and e-commerce legislation, and to establish whether such development would help to drive economic activity.

The new draft legislation unveiled last week will bring Jersey into line with the law in other jurisdictions, and means the Island will be able to sign up to international conventions on copyright and related rights.

Draft laws going out to consultation are:

• Copyright (Jersey) Law 200 - dealing with the right of the author, composer, artist or creator of an original work to prevent another from copying it. Copyright protects material, such as literature, art, music, sound recordings, films and broadcasts.
• Design Right (Jersey) Law 200 - dealing with the right of the designer to prevent others from reproducing the design. Design refers to the visual appearance or eye appeal of products.
• Performers’ Protection (Jersey) Law 200 - dealing with the right of the performer to prevent another from copying, recording, broadcasting, or making available a qualifying performance.

Launching the consultation, Senator Ozouf explained that:

“Updating our copyright laws is a key driver in diversifying Jersey’s economy for the future. The creation of a vibrant e-business sector, underpinned by robust intellectual property legislation, will create a new sector, boost economic growth and create new jobs. The commercial sector and the existing financial and legal services will also benefit from this development. We are publishing 280 pages of legislation for consultation, making this a landmark exercise.”

The consultation closes on 7 March 2008.