WIPO Mulls Issues Surrounding Educational Use Of Copyrighted Material

by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels

24 November 2005

Member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on Monday discussed the impact of the copyright system on the use of protected works for educational purposes in both the analogue and digital environments, particularly in developing countries.

The meeting occurred at the beginning of deliberations by the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) which took place in Geneva from November 21 to 23, 2005.

In a statement, WIPO explained that:

"Copyright law, like other forms of intellectual property law, recognizes that restrictions or limitations in the rights granted to authors and holders of other related rights are justified in certain cases that do not conflict with the normal exploitation of the protected material and do not unreasonably prejudice the legitimate interests of the rightholders."

"In relation to education, certain permitted uses are defined which remove liability that would otherwise arise. Digital technology has revolutionized the way in which creative works, including educational materials, are made, delivered and used with important implications for copyright."

Presentations delivered at the meeting covered a range of issues, including: the challenges facing educators and libraries particularly in developing countries; the need to foster development of the indigenous publishing sector in developing countries; the role of reproduction rights organizations; licensing mechanisms, including alternative licensing systems (such as the creative commons and open access models) to facilitate the flow of educational materials in developing countries; and the national experiences of Chile and Canada in devising copyright exceptions for education.

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