House of Peoples’ Representatives (HPR) started reviewing the current intellectual property rights regime and the draft bill meant to amend it.

The draft bill is expected to bring to an end the long standing and debatable matter of creativity area. It incorporates a provision that  stipulates broadcasters as well as business organizations should pay royalty fee for every art products they use for public consumption.

The provision reads, “Any person who uses protected works under this proclamation for commercial purpose shall have the obligation to pay royalty to the relevant collective management society”.

The draft bill highlighted the importance of the amendment stating, it has become necessary to amend the Copyright and Neighboring Rights Protection Proclamation No. 410/2004 to provide legal protection that is compatible with an ever growing development of copyrights and neighboring rights and to create conditions enabling the right holder to administer their rights in an organized and enhanced manner.

Collective management society is also a concept raised in the draft bill and allows the formation of it. The concept is that right holders protected under the bill are allowed to form an association to jointly administer their rights.

The draft bill furthers the collective management shall be formed as a non-profit entity proposed but should be granted by the Intellectual Properties Office.

After MPs debated on the bill on Wednesday, October 22, 2014, it was referred to the Science and Technology Affairs Standing Committee for more revision.

Source: The Reporter