News
Tuesday 18th January 2022
Government decides not to change copyright exhaustion laws
Press Release – Publishers Association
Contact: Jasmine Joynson - 07884 585349
For immediate release
Today (Tuesday 18 January, 2022) the government has announced that it will maintain the UK’s current laws on exhaustion of intellectual property rights, following a consultation conducted last summer, due to a lack of evidence supporting a change to alternative models.
The government’s decision is welcomed by the Publishers Association which led the Save Our Books campaign, but concern remains that a future change has not been ruled out entirely.
Stephen Lotinga, Chief Executive of the Publishers Association, said:
“We are delighted that the government has chosen to maintain the UK’s gold standard copyright regime, which our world-leading creative industries are built on, and that ministers have listened to authors, readers and the wider industry on the risks of any change.
“The evidence is clear, any weakening of our Intellectual Property laws would be devastating to UK creators, and we will continue to make this case to government in any future discussions of the matter.
“I am extremely grateful to our Save Our Books campaign partners, MPs and members of the public who have worked together to make our case to government. I know everyone will be relieved that for the moment they can get back to doing what they do best – putting incredible books into the hands of readers.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
The Intellectual Property Office’s consultation on future exhaustion of intellectual property rights regime ran from 7 June - 31 August 2021.
The Save Our Books campaign was a coalition of the Publishers Association, the Society of Authors, the Association of Authors’ Agents and the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society.
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