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WHAT IS A FACE

A FACE (Association for Fair Audiovisual Copyright in Europe) is a project aimed at promoting a FAIR copyright in the audiovisual world (documentary and feature films, music, etc.), i.e. a copyright realizing a BALANCE between the interests of rights holders and those of the users (private, as well professional) seeking access to culture.

The original purpose of copyright is protecting the interest of right holders ONLY TO THE EXTENT a general progress of culture is assured. As it has been rightly pointed out, "If copyright, cynically, departs from its purpose, piracy becomes an easy option"; which certainly is not a desirable result. Our concern is that copyright has already departed from its purpose. Our goal is to help it to re-find its lost way.

The A FACE project does NOT wish to promote a free and indiscriminate copyright. It only aims to re-establish the conditions for a fair copyright. The members of A FACE respect, and in many cases live on, copyrights. However, they do recognize that copyright needs to remain "fair" in order to be respected.

aF©e in the Communia Network

We're glad to inform you that aFace has been selected as one of the ten new members of COMMUNIA - The European Thematic Network on the Digital Public Domain

The COMMUNIA Thematic Network is a point of reference for theoretical analysis and strategic policy discussion of existing and emerging issues concerning the public domain in the digital environment. Funded by the European Commission within the eContentplus framework, the 3-years long project expects to provide policy guidelines that will help each stakeholder involved - public and private, from the local to the European and global level. COMMUNIA is coordinated by the Politecnico of Torino's NEXA Research Center for Internet and Society. It started its activities on 1 September 2007 and will end on 31 August 2010. For further details: http://www.communia-project.eu/

Petition of the european audiovisual community against the proposed directive for a copyright term Extension for sound recordings.

On 23 March 2009 the European Parliament is due to vote on a Proposed Directive extending the term of copyright for sound recordings from 50 to 95 years (or perhaps 70 years). Prestigious copyright experts in Europe have strongly opposed the proposal for such a Directive. The proposal, they have explained, seeks to remove sound recordings from the public domain for another generation, ostensibly in order to benefit performers, but in reality only to allow four major multinational companies (Universal, Warner, Sony and EMI) to keep control of the valuable recordings of the 1960s. Several academic papers have demonstrated that the Directive will have an adverse impact on both the economy and culture of Europe. The public of users has also firmly rejected the proposal. Nevertheless, the legislative process has been pushed forward, and on March 23 the Directive might be approved.

To support this cause, please send an e-mail re: "I support fair copyright" to info@aface.eu specifying your (i) name & e-mail address, (ii) country, (iii) profession, (iv) institution.



	WHAT IS A FACE A FACE (Association for Fair Audiovisual Copyright in Europe) is a project aimed at promoting a FAIR copyright in the audiovisual world (documentary and feature films, music, etc.), i.e. a copyright realizing a BALANCE between the interests of rights holders and those of the users (private, as well professional) seeking access to culture. The original purpose of copyright is protecting the interest of right holders ONLY TO THE EXTENT a general progress of culture is assured. As it has been rightly pointed out, "If copyright, cynically, departs from its purpose, piracy becomes an easy option"; which certainly is not a desirable result. Our concern is that copyright has already departed from its purpose. Our goal is to help it to re-find its lost way. The A FACE project does NOT wish to promote a free and indiscriminate copyright. It only aims to re-establish the conditions for a fair copyright. The members of A FACE respect, and in many cases live on, copyrights. However, they do recognize that copyright needs to remain "fair" in order to be respected. aF©e in the Communia Network We're glad to inform you that aFace has been selected as one of the ten new members of COMMUNIA - The European Thematic Network on the Digital Public Domain The COMMUNIA Thematic Network is a point of reference for theoretical analysis and strategic policy discussion of existing and emerging issues concerning the public domain in the digital environment. Funded by the European Commission within the eContentplus framework, the 3-years long project expects to provide policy guidelines that will help each stakeholder involved - public and private, from the local to the European and global level. COMMUNIA is coordinated by the Politecnico of Torino's NEXA Research Center for Internet and Society. It started its activities on 1 September 2007 and will end on 31 August 2010. For further details: http://www.communia-project.eu/ Petition of the european audiovisual community against the proposed directive for a copyright term Extension for sound recordings. On 23 March 2009 the European Parliament is due to vote on a Proposed Directive extending the term of copyright for sound recordings from 50 to 95 years (or perhaps 70 years). Prestigious copyright experts in Europe have strongly opposed the proposal for such a Directive. The proposal, they have explained, seeks to remove sound recordings from the public domain for another generation, ostensibly in order to benefit performers, but in reality only to allow four major multinational companies (Universal, Warner, Sony and EMI) to keep control of the valuable recordings of the 1960s. Several academic papers have demonstrated that the Directive will have an adverse impact on both the economy and culture of Europe. The public of users has also firmly rejected the proposal. Nevertheless, the legislative process has been pushed forward, and on March 23 the Directive might be approved. To support this cause, please send an e-mail re: "I support fair copyright" to info@aface.eu specifying your (i) name & e-mail address, (ii) country, (iii) profession, (iv) institution.
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