Copyright Amendment Bill 2008 Passed.

Monday May 5th 2008

After years of extensive lobbying, the Copyright Amendment Bill 2008 was passed in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The bill will now amend the existing copyright act of 1997. Final approval was on May 1st 2008.

The bill adopts stringent corrective measures. Finally we can expect an effective approach for police officers, magistrates and prosecutors to effectively deal with music pirates and copyright infringement.

We look forward to Trinidad and Tobago’s accession to the (WIPO) World Intellectual Property Copyright Treaty (WCT) and to the World Intellectual Property Performances and Phonogram Treaty (WPPT). These treaties can be summarised as updated intellectual property laws specifically drafted to protect creative works, sound recordings, and performances in the face of new technologies including the internet.

We (RIATT) were also lobbying for the “Performance Right” granted to Producers and Performers. The newly amended Copyright Bill 2008, supports the right for Producers and Performers to be financially compensated for the Public Performance, Broadcasting and Communication to the public of their recordings and performances.

Finally the passing of the Copyright Amendment bill 2008 creates the long awaited legal environment for newly established “Related Rights Agency for Phonograms and Performances (ReRAPP) to commence its operations.

For further information contact:
Fabien Alfonso
Email: info@riatt.org
1-868-682-8174