The IPA brought a strong delegation of publishers to Geneva for the 43^rd Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights of the World Intellectual Property Organization with Exceptions and Limitations to copyright firmly on the agenda.

The two main agenda items at WIPO SCCR continue to be 1) The Broadcasting Treaty, 2) Exceptions and Limitations. The main area of importance to IPA is Exceptions and Limitations which is technically split over two agenda items one for libraries and archives, and the other for educational and research institutions and for persons with other disabilities. 

The exceptions and limitations agenda included the presentation of a Preservation Toolkit, a presentation of the revised Africa Group Proposal (a sort of workplan on how to continue discussions on this agenda item), and a presentation on cross border issues concerning education and research. There was also a discussion under other matters of a proposal for a study on the Public Lending Right. 

IPA delivered two statements during the discussions on exceptions and limitations. IPA President, Karine Pansa, took the floor to underline IPA’s commitment to constructive dialogue, its position that an international treaty is not necessary, and that the current international legal framework provides sufficient flexibility. She also called on the discussion to remain focused and targeted in order to secure the best results.

Following the presentation of the Preservation Toolkit, IPA thanked the authors for their work but we also expressed our position that the text ignored rightsholders’ concerns. IPA strongly argued the need for considerations of access to preserved copies be strictly separated from preservation itself. And IPA underlined the importance of this toolkit process in securing broad support for any future work.

The IPA delegation included members from Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, and the UK – ready to explain the reality of their markets to their national and group delegates as well as their national ambassadors.

The week concluded with long negotiations which resulted in:

• Preservation Toolkit – deadline for comments of 19 May 2023;
• Agreement on the pursuing toolkits on access for libraries, museums and archives and on access for educational and research institutions;
• Africa Group proposal - further revised proposal adopted;
• Public Lending Right study - to proceed.

Another, shorter, SCCR meeting will be held in 2023 during the week of 6 November.

You can read our daily blog posts here:

• Day 1 : This must be the place
• Day 2: Maybe Someday
• Day 3 : The Subplot
• Day 4 : Lessons
• Day 5: Where do we go from here