Transcript Slide 1
Caribbean Reprographic Project Carol Newman JAMCOPY Introducing the Caribbean • Several islands and mainland territories • • surrounded by, or bordering on, the Caribbean Sea Spread from the southern tip of Florida in the north to the northern shores of Venezuela in the south and all that lies in between Several groupings within this region but the one applicable for the purposes of this presentation is the CARICOM grouping Territories of the Caribbean CARICOM • English speaking Commonwealth Caribbean • • • • States Established in 1973 to facilitate cooperation in economic, social, cultural and political matters Membership extended in 1995 to include nonEnglish speaking states 14 member states Population of 15 million Important Demographics • St. Kitts and Nevis has smallest population – 44,000 • Jamaica has largest (English speaking) – 2.7M • Lowest GDP – Guyana - US$831 • Highest GDP – The Bahamas –US$15,894 • But, next to the Bahamas is Barbados with US$9,700 Purpose of IP Administration • To promote copyright compliance • To enable commerce to exist around copyright • To provide efficient management of rights for both rights holders and users • To return VALUE to rights holders (value not exclusively limited to money) Regional Challenges and Solutions • The region faces unique challenges: – small size and population base of the territories – their low GDP • National collecting societies do not generate sufficient revenue for viability, efficiency and sustainability. • The smaller pool of licensors (rightsholders) and prospective licensees (users) in the area of reprographic reproduction rights, relative to musical rights, makes a regional approach less taxing on the limited resources of the countries and ultimately more beneficial to national rights holders in the Caribbean. Question: • How could we as a region leverage our IP administration capabilities as a region, as diverse as we are, to maximize the potential benefits both for users and rights holders in the region? Suggestion/Idea • Collaboration: – Regional collaboration would provide a comprehensive region-wide solution for the management of rights to the benefit of all the countries concerned – With the support of IFRRO and WIPO, the Caribbean Reprographic Project (CRP) was established Caribbean Reprographic Project • 2005: Ocho Rios Consultation – Agreement to collaborate in the relevant functions required, on behalf of rightsholders in the area of reprography – Regional Steering Committee established – Action Plan formulated • 2006: Trinidad Consultation – Reaffirmation of objectives – Areas of cooperation • WIPO Regional Meeting of Heads of Intellectual Property • of Caribbean Countries – WIPO Regional Ministerial Level Meeting on Intellectual Property for Caribbean Countries - Endorsement of CRP Proposed Caribbean Model • • • • The regional collaboration model comprises: 3 nationals RROs in Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados a sub regional RRO for the OECS countries a regional RRO to perform agreed collaborative functions for economies of scale, greater reach, impact, visibility, effectiveness and, ultimately, sustainability Progress • 3 National RROs: – Jamaica (JAMCOPY) – Trinidad & Tobago (TTRRO) – Barbados (BCOPY) • 1 OECS Sub-regional RRO – ECCLA – – – – – – Antigua & Barbuda Dominica Grenada St. Lucia St. Kitts St. Vincent Administration • JAMCOPY to perform specific services for – BCOPY – ECCLA Next Steps - Advancing the Caribbean Reprographic Project • 2008 Montego Bay Consultation – November 1 Thank you for your attention