A regulation on the collective management of copyrighted
materials, approved by the State Council, is to become effective on
March 1, better protecting the interests of copyright owners
throughout the nation, said Deputy Director Yan Xiaohong of the
National Copyright Administration (NCA) at a Tuesday press
conference in Beijing.
Under the 48-article regulation, such rights as hiring,
performance, broadcasting, duplication and Internet distribution --
all listed in the Copyright Law but often difficult for owners to
manage effectively -- can be entrusted to collective management
organizations for protection.
Based on systems used in developed countries, the regulation
will also apply to foreign copyright owners doing business in
China, said Liu Jie, an NCA official.
Under the new regulation, copyright holders may authorize
management organizations to grant licenses for use of their
products. The organizations would also collect fees from users,
distribute royalties to members and handle other related
activities.
Yan pointed out that rights to performance and broadcast are
particularly difficult for individual copyright holders to control,
while users may have difficulty obtaining permission from them. The
collective management organization streamlines procedures and
monitors compliance.
(China Daily February 23, 2005)