Joint Statement ahead of WIPO’s SCCR, 45th Session, April 2024

In April 2024 the next SCCR meeting of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) will take place. On that occasion the undersigned international organisations, WIPO oberservers representing authors, publishers and their collective management organisations (EFJ – European Federation of Journalists, EVA – European Visuals Artists, EWC European Writers‘ Council, IPA – International Publishers’ Association, IAF – International Authors Forum, IFJ – International Federation of Journalists, IFRRO and STM), released a joint statement calling on WIPO Member States for a balanced approach regarding exceptions and limitations to authors’ rights and copyright.

Quote: “Exceptions and limitations to authors’ rights and copyright must fulfil the three-step test criteria, enshrined in the international copyright treaties and require a careful calibration to achieve the necessary balance of the legitimate interests at stake. This balance is essential to protect the economic viability of creation and dissemination of copyrighted works, to guarantee appropriate remuneration, and to foster local markets. The effective revenues of authors and publishers depend on their possibility to sell and to license works and images, so that their investment is valued and properly remunerated. It is therefore paramount to ensure that exceptions and limitations to copyright do not endanger this value chain and its sources, the authors and visual artists, in any way. […]”