As the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is holding its 42nd session of its Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR), the International Authors Forum (IAF) submitted a statement on Exceptions and Limitations:
Thank you very much, speaking for the first time we would like to congratulate the Chair and Vice Chairs on their election. We would also like to acknowledge the work of the WIPO secretariat in making these important discussions possible.
The International Authors Forum (IAF) represents well over 700,000 authors worldwide from the text, audiovisual and visual arts sectors.
Authors create for their community and audience, they want the widest possible lawful access to their works.. Authors welcome libraries, archives and educational institutions as vital points of access to their works, but there must be a balance of access and reward to ensure that they can continue to create the works that are enjoyed.
We have heard from many authors and saw in the very useful information session this week, that in the COVID-19 pandemic authors around the world suffered the impact it had on their fields of work, but authors still made significant efforts to make their works more accessible to users in these difficult times, conscious of the benefit cultural works bring to so many people. The need to support authors is more urgent than ever.
A good environment for authors ensures authors can create quality education, as well as inclusive education for their communities. It should not be the case that a country has to rely on the larger creative industries of other countries for educational materials alone. Students should have access to educational materials that reflect the diverse cultures and languages of the world and the student.
Authors support efforts by the countries represented at WIPO to work towards solutions which can be developed according to local needs.
Authors recognise that each country must aim to respond to its local needs. But it must be remembered, in no country are authors able to work and create effectively when they are entirely either denied remuneration or inadequately paid, so the author community would encourage careful work that includes creators and respects their work and right to remuneration.
