STANDING COMMITTEE ON COPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS

Second Session

Geneva, May 4 to 11, 1999

AGENDA ITEM 4: PROTECTION OF DATABASES;
PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF BROADCASTING ORGANIZATIONS

REPORT ON THE REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE FOR CENTRAL EUROPEAN AND BALTIC STATES ON THE PROTECTION OF THE RIGHTS OF BROADCASTING ORGANIZATIONS AND ON THE PROTECTION OF DATABASES,
HELD IN VILNIUS, FROM APRIL 20 TO 22, 1999

submitted on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Romania and the Slovak Republic

1. In the Regional Roundtable, the following countries were represented: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Romania and the Slovak Republic.

2. On both subjects of the Roundtable, the sessions consisted of presentations made by invited experts and representatives of interested non-governmental organizations from inside and from outside the region as well as by WIPO officials. They were accompanied by intensive discussions.

3. After the informative part of the Regional Roundtable, the country representatives met in a closed circle and discussed and adopted this report.

4. On the issue of the Protection of Databases:

The country representatives are of the opinion that after the copyright protection of databases has been clarified in the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT), there is still a need for an additional legal protection for the investment in databases at international level. In this respect, they support the solution offered by the European Community and its Member States, namely to establish a sui generis right in favor of the maker of the database.

5. On the issue of the Protection of the Rights of Broadcasting Organizations:

The meeting was informed of the proposals that had been tabled by broadcasting organizations during the first session of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights, as well as of the submissions by Member States of WIPO and the European Community contained in document SCCR/2/5.

The country representatives considered that the rights of performers and phonogram producers have been updated through the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT) and that the Rome Convention of 1961 needs updating also in respect of the rights of broadcasters, in order to cope with new technological and market developments in the field of broadcasting. In particular, they take the view that an enhanced protection of related rights of broadcasters at the international level is needed in order to fight piracy of broadcast programs. When updating broadcasters' rights the proper balance between the various groups of right holders should be taken into consideration.

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