CISAC urges for reform on new Canadian copyright laws

The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), has announced its “disappointment” in Canada’s reformed copyright laws for sound recordings.

The new laws, introduced as part of Canada’s 2015 Budget, proposes an extension of copyright terms for sound recordings and performances from 50 years to 70 years. However, this reform does not include the protection of the author, where the copyright term still remains at 50 years plus life of the composer.

CISAC has expressed its dissatisfaction of the new reform, urging the Canadian government to extend these laws to authors and composers as well.

“On behalf of CISAC and the four million creators represented by its members, I call upon the Canadian government to address this imbalance and immediately bring Canada’s law in line with the rest of the world,” said Jean Michel Jarre, President of CISAC.

“Authors in Canada should be protected for the same duration that exists in most other countries around the world. This is a matter of pure fairness."

Currently, 60 nations worldwide have copyright terms that protect both authors and sound recordings for 70 years or over. This list includes the US, all of Europe, South Korea, Singapore and Australia.

In Australia, the music, lyrics, sound recordings and their creators all have copyright protection of 70 years plus the life of the author. This has been the case since 2005, when Australia amended its laws to fall in line with the rest of the world.

Speaking to TMN last month, Executive Director of the Australian Copyright Council, Fiona Phillips, explained that the move “was part of our obligations and our free trade agreement with the United States.”

According to the Australian Copyright Council, copyright expires if the creator dies before 1 January 1955 and if the work is published during his or her lifetime. This also applies to sound recordings. Once copyright has expired, it cannot be revived and can be used freely by the general public.

Jarre is pressing the Canadian government to model their copyright laws in accordance with countries such as Australia.

“Authors in Canada still do not benefit from the same term of copyright protection as in most of the world […] This puts the whole community of creators in Canada, as well as foreigners seeking protection in Canada, at a major disadvantage.”