1 the public awareness of intellectual property rights in lithuania: experience and future...
TRANSCRIPT
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The Public Awareness of Intellectual Property Rights in Lithuania:
experience and future perspectives
Media Literacy Conference Prague, 18/20 March 2009
Nijolė Janina Matulevičienė
Head of Copyright Division Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania
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The main questions of Copyright protection in information society
How can we harmonise the interests of the rights owners and users of these rights in the information society, taking into account the impact of new technologies?
How should artists be remunerated for the results of their intellectual creation, which stimulates culture and social progress?
How to enforce a copyright as one of the most vulnerable rights in the digital space?
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The Lithuanian experience
During past few years Lithuania has made a substantial progress in the Intellectual property rights (Copyright and Related Rights) protection by using full spectrum of measures, including:
Legislation Enforcement Economic (tax) incentives Raising public awareness
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The Lithuanian experience in raising public awareness
The Strategy for the Protection of Copyright and Related Rights and Measures for the implementation thereof (approved in 2000 by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania)
The Measures of the Years 2000 – 2003 have been implemented with technical and financial support from EU PHARE program
The Strategy laid out the foundations for the education and training of the society and created the conditions for raising public awareness on intellectual property rights
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The Lithuanian experience in raising
public awareness
The activities commenced on the grounds of Strategy has been further developed while implementing Public awareness programs concerning intellectual property rights:
The Program and the measures for the implementation for the years 2004 -2005
The Program and the measures for the implementation for the years 2006-2008
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Aims and objectives of the Public awareness programs
The strategic aim of these Programs: to raise awareness of the society, to develop respect for the fruits of the intellectual activities and protecting the creators’ rights as well promoting creative and artistic work in Lithuania and legitimate dissemination of the results of this activity
Main aspects were taken into consideration to raise public awareness emphasizing :
Negative effects of piracy Positive aspect of the creative activity Positive aspects of copyright and related rights and
individual and social benefits
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Objectives of the Public awareness programs
To create the conditions for the education of shoolchildren and students about intellectual property rights
To harmonize the interests of the owners of the rights and users in the information society
To educate the society by using legal, economic and social surveys concerning intellectual property
To create conditions for the society to use the information resources of the international intellectual property organizations
To develop administrative capacities of the State and law enforcement institutions and improve the knowledge of cultural institutions’ employees
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Raising awareness of schoolchildren and students
The most successful measures implemented by the programs: Series of seminars in schools all over Lithuania (the popular
local music groups were invited to the schools and gave their own experience from the creators point of view)
Publications (book for schoolchildren “The Journey to the Author’s country”, created by Lithuanian writer Petras Palilionis, WIPO comic books on Copyright and Industrial Property Rights and CD “The WIPO Tour on Intellectual Property”, translated into Lithuanian language and now are available in the school and public libraries)
“Open door days” in the Lithuanian collective administrations societies (organized for art and law students);
Young lawyers contests (annually organized in cooperation with Law faculties of the universities)
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Raising awareness of the general public
The most successful measures implemented by the programs:
A series of consultation afternoons (were organized to all districts of Lithuania in cooperation with Culture units of District Administration; Publicity was increased by press release and local media)
An Internet web site (frequently asked questions, informative material about the conditions of usage of works for personal use, educational, scientific and information purposes)
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Raising awareness of the general public The most successful measures implemented by the programs:
Special events to Lithuanian annual Book Fair (the public discussions and seminars, leaflets and posters were distributed to the Book Fair audience)
Movable exhibitions, stands and similar events in the libraries, located in the districts
Surveys and researches of the objects of intellectual property rights in the Lithuanian market (the media exposure of the results and findings)
Annual events to mark the World Intellectual Property Day
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Raising awareness of the general public
Economic (tax) incentives – for the motivation to use legal computer programs
Tax policy introduced by the Government (people purchasing new computers were included in the tax return of up to 33 percent calculated from value of computer (in period 2004-2008)
The main criteria for tax return was legally acquired and later declared computer equipment with legal computer program
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Raising awareness of specialized audiences
The most successful measures implemented for the representatives of small and medium business
seminars about the advantages of intellectual property protection
guideline for Mediation procedure in the negotiations between collective administration associations and users of copyright works concerning the licensing agreements, the remuneration rates and the procedure of payment (published guideline were distributed by the Lithuanian small and medium business support agency)
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Raising awareness of specialized audiences
The most successful measures implemented by the programs
for the public libraries, museums and other cultural institutions:
Seminars, trainings and special qualification enhancement programs, concerning the protection of intellectual property rights in the information society
Published guideline for public libraries and museums about the licensing conditions, exceptions and limitations on economic rights and legal questions related to the problems posed by rapid technological advancement
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Raising public awareness
Close cooperation of Ministry of Culture and other state institutions, enforcement agencies, collective administrations societies and another associations representing intellectual right owners (Lithuanian Music Industry Ass., Business Software Alliance, Phonogram Producers and Distribution Ass., Infobalt Ass.)
Evaluated Lithuania’s progress in Lithuanian Public Awareness Programs from 2008 Lithuania was deleted from IIPA Watch List
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Future Perspectives
Concept of Anti-piracy Centre adopted in 2008 by the Ministry of Culture in the the Framework of the Government Program
Anti-piracy Centre will help to coordinate enforcement actions between intellectual property rights enforcement institutions in Lithuania and continue to raise public awareness
special attention will be paid to intellectual property violations in electronic space.
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Future Perspectives: Enforcement of Copyright an Related Rights
Enforcement addressing Internet Service Provider Liability
Resolution of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, “Concerning Acceptance of a Report on Provisions for Eliminating the Possibility of Access to Unlawfully Obtained, Created, Amended or Utilised Information”, was adopted on the 22 of August 2007.
Future task - to establish effective mechanism for monitoring copyright and related rights in electronic space and explain to the public of this new type of preventive measures and responsibility of Internet providers
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Enforcement of Copyright an Related Rights
Lithuanian Copyright Protection Association (LATGA-A) has concluded a Cooperation Agreement with main Lithuanian Internet service providers (TEO, Bitė and Omnitel) in order to tackle Internet piracy issues.
In accordance with those Agreements should be developed service providers role in media literacy
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Public Awareness About Current Legal Developments on Enforcement
The Draft Law amending the Code of Administrative Offences, proposed increase in administrative fines for infringement copyright an related rights (including internet)
The Draft Law on amending Criminal Code (Strengthening criminal sanctions for intellectual property offences).
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Future Perspectives
Ministry of Culture will be providing funding for the Anti-piracy projects, proposed by different institutions and organizations.
Priority will be given to anti-piracy projects, which address intellectual property infringements on the Internet.
Internet providers Local TV and Radio stations
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Thank you
Nijolė Janina Matulevičienė
Head of Copyright Division Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania