On the ocassion of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) 45 at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) PLR International will submit on behalf of the PLR International Network and its Steering Committee the following intervention.

Brussels / Geneva, 19th of April 2024

PLR International expresses its gratitude to Ms. Sabine Richly for the ‘Scoping Study on Public Lending Right’, upon the initiative by Sierra Leone, Panama, and Malawi.

The comparative Study proves the scalability of PLR systems to different national cultural missions and economic contexts, and it provides guidance for every local legal tradition.

The Study pinpoints the importance of libraries for literacy and as social hub, and at the same time the need of funding for the equitable remuneration of writers, visual artists, translators and other rightsholders. Without their works and investment libraries would not be able to fulfil their mandates; however, ensuring financial support without compromising library budgets is key.

Implementing remunerated PLR is a commitment to fairness, safeguarding the intellectual sources of knowledge, and investing in a sustainable future of the national publishing sector and its impacts on employment, regional development, and innovation driven economy.

The Study including its Annex give countries interested in a tailor-made PLR system, facts, and visions; and for those who already have PLR, assistance to improve. As the study is not considered to introduce a binding legal instrument but designing a program of capacity building, we see that the next steps could provide knowledge exchange such as regional seminars or advisory pools with the involvement of rights holders and PLR enablers.

PLR International, the network of countries with established PLR, remains ready to support WIPOs follow-up activity.

 

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ABOUT

PLR International (PLRI) brings together countries with PLR systems to facilitate the exchange of best practice. It also provides advice and technical assistance to countries looking to set up PLR systems for the first time.

The PLR International Steering Committee is currently represented as follows: 

• Anne Bergman (publishers’ association representative) – FEP
• José Borghino (publishers’ association representative) – IPA
• Nina George (authors’ association representative) – EWC
• Geoffroy Pelletier (IFRRO representative) – LA SOFIA
• Carola Streul (authors’ association representative) – EVA
• Kurt Van Damme (IFRRO representative) – REPROBEL

PLR International is organised by:

• Arjen Polman, PLR International Co-ordinator

Arjen Polman can be reached at: arjen.polman@plrinternational.com