Re: [Fsfe-france] Compte-rendu d'activités EUCD.INFO

[Laurent GUERBY]

Sympa l'emission radio, dommage que ta derniere intervention ne soit pas
sur le MP3. Au passage, sur un des points aborde a savoir la duree du
"copyright", une actualite interessante :

http://funferal.org/mt-archive/000514.html

L'Irlande est presidente de l'Union Europeenne il me semble.

Dans un debat ou on parle de la primaute de l'auteur et de son
droit a gagner de l'argent pour inciter a la creation, il n'est
jamais mauvais de rappeller que les auteurs morts sont
malheureusement bien peu incites a ecrire de nouveaux textes par
l'extension de leur "copyright" que sont bien prompts a leur donner 
nos legislateurs :). 

Laurent

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Actions of Joyce estate highlight problems with copyright law
According to an article in the Irish Times (registration required) the
Joyce estate has informed the Irish government that it intends to sue
for copyright infringement if there are any public readings of Joyce's
works during the festival commemorating the 100th anniversary of
Bloomsday this June.



James Joyce died in 1941 and the copyright in his work expired in 1991.
Then the EU extended terms to life+70 years, and the work went back into
copyright in July 1995. The estate has been very active in enforcing
their copyright, suing regularly. While some of their actions have been
aimed at issues such as protecting the memory of Joyce's daughter Lucia
from scrutiny, other suits have been against non-commercial uses of the
works by fans. As such, they seem solely concerned with the financial
health of the estate [admittedly one of their roles] having no concern
for nurturing the greater cultural legacy of Joyce.

The Irish Times notes that "In 1998, the Joyce estate objected to
readings of Ulysses live over the Internet, which was facilitated by
Ireland.com. The case was settled out of court." Now the estate has
issued a letter to the Irish government warning that all use must be
cleared with the estate - which means that there can be no public
reading during the festival, and a planned production of Joyce's Exiles
by the Abbey theatre must be cancelled.

Public readings do not displace commercialised use of Joyce's work, so
the estate does not lose income from their occurrence. Of course, the
estate is technically within its 'rights' (though this does indicate
reasons for reforming European copyright law) but such vigorous
enforcement is unnecessary and distasteful.

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