We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
178
having a shoner term will be limited to the term established by the country of origin. " U.S. rightsholders reaction to this was immediate — their position was that the U.S. had to raise its term of protection to avoid imposition of the rule of the shorter term.
The Directive mandates that these changes should be made by July 1, 1995. Although that goal has not been met, the United Kingdom has already proposed amending its law to the longer term and other EU members are expected to comply. In addition, countries that belong to the European Economic Area must also adopt the Directive.
There are a number of countries that are seeking eventual membership in the European Union or the European Economic Area. Such couiuhes iiKlude Poland, Hungary, Turkey and the Czech Republic. In preparation for this, it is likely that these coumries will amend their copyright laws to reflect the requirements of the Directive. There is also some indication that other coumries that are in the process of adopting new copyright laws will adopt a life plus 70 standard. For example, the new Slovenian copyright law provides for a term of life plus 70.
With respect to the Berne Convetuion, it is unclear whether life plus 70 will be adopted in the near future. ^ However, the likelihood increases as more countries move to a life plus 70 term.
B. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS OF H. R. 989
The approach taken by H.R. 989 is basically to amend the existing copyright provisions on term by adding 20 years to the date in the provisioa The bill does not propose any changes to ownership of rights in the copyright of the extended term.
" EU Directive on Term, art 7.
" Life plus 70 was on the original agenda of the exercise begun in 1991 to adopt a Protocol to the Berne Convention. However, at the meeting of the Governing Bodies in September, 1992 there was agreement to reduce the scope of the possible protocol to 10 critical issues. Life plus 70 was removed from the agenda. A number of countries, not including the United States, have suggested that this topic be put back on the agenda.
dirr\dufation loc
July 11. 1995 17