Following the Hargreaves review of intellectual property, the Government commissioned a review into a digital copyright exchange. That review has taken place and the findings have been published in the Hooper Report.
The report has recommended the creation of a “Copyright Hub”, which would:
- be UK-based and not-for-profit;
- be linked to digital copyright exchanges worldwide;
- operate on a voluntary basis; and
- focus on low value and high volume transactions.
The aim of the Copyright Hub would be to provide a register of copyrighted works (including rights attached to them) and a market place for licensing. It is thought that a Copyright Hub would help SMEs and reduce copyright piracy.
The report also noted that certain areas of concern needed to be dealt with before progress could be made, such as a clarification of copyright-licensing and different ways in which physical and digital copyrighted works are dealt with.