Screenrights and all other Australian collecting societies, APRA AMCOS, ASDACS, AWGACS, Copyright Agency, and PPCA, have launched a new standalone website for the Code of Conduct for Copyright Collecting Societies, which can be found at www.copyrightcodeofconduct.org.au.
The collecting societies are signatories to the Code of Conduct, reporting each year on compliance with the obligations in the Code. The current Code Reviewer is the Hon Dr Kevin Lindgren AM QC, a former judge of the Federal Court.
The new site and amendments to the Code are both initiatives undertaken in response to a Government review which recommended:
- increased clarity around the role of the Code
- improved transparency around collecting societies’ operations, and
- strengthened governance arrangements for collecting societies and the Code
The Code aims to:
- promote awareness of and access to information about copyright and the role and function of collecting societies in administering copyright on behalf of members;
- promote confidence in collecting societies and the effective administration of copyright in Australia;
- set out the standards of service that members and licensees can expect from collecting societies; and
- ensure that members and licensees have access to efficient, fair and low cost procedures for the handling of complaints and the resolution of disputes involving collecting societies.
Annual compliance review 2019
The 2019 call for submissions to the Copyright Collecting Societies Code of Conduct review is open until 31 July 2019.
