NEW DELHI, May 22: Parliament has approved the Copyright (Amendment) Bill,2010, which seeks to remove operational diificulties in protecting performers in the Internet era.
The Lok Sabha passed the Bill by a voice vote today.
Replying to the debate, Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) Kapil Sibal said the Bill seeks to remove operational difficulties in protecting performers, producers of phonograms and broadcasting organisations in the context of digital technologies and the internet.
The Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Mr Sibal said the Bill seeks to amend the Copyright Act, 1957, with the objective of making certain changes for clarity, removing
operational difficulties and addressing certain newer issues that have emerged with the onset of digital technology and internet.
He said the amended copyright act will not cover words and phrases.
The Bill seeks to make the provisions of the Copyright Act in conformity with World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) Copyright Treaty (WCT) and WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT).
Mr Sibal said as a result of this Bill, folk artistes will be able to get a royalty and this benefit will accrue to them in their old age too.
He said there was talk related to this provision in 1977, but it could not take shape then. Initiating the discussion, Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj said the Bill moved in the House is not in its original form and the entire credit for this should go to the Standing Committee members of the HRD Ministry who worked very hard to give the Bill its present shape.
She said the Bill was first introduced in the Rajya Sabha on April 19, 2010 and referred to the Standing Committee on April 23. Ms Swaraj said the … Picking up para five, line one of Par 10, Copyright Bill Two LS. (UNI)
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