State Policy of Copyright Protection
On March 1, 2024, as part of measures to raise awareness of copyright protection, a seminar was held at the Prosecutor General Office of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The training was attended by representatives of the Central Office of the Prosecutor General Office and employees and teaching staff of the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
During the event, the Chairman of the Chamber for the Protection of Copyright of Artists, Creators and Performers, Doctor of Law, Professor Bobokul Toshev, spoke on the topic “State legal policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the field of copyright protection.” He focused on the importance of copyright protection, especially concerning the current situation and Uzbekistan’s desire to join the WTO, and presented existing trends in this area. B. Toshev focused on copyright issues, including their economic, legal, and social significance, and also noted current global and national practices in the copyright protection field.
The seminar participants received valuable knowledge and recommendations that contributed to increasing their understanding of the importance of copyright protection and the formation of a unified state and legal policy in this area in Uzbekistan. As the participants noted, such training plays a significant role in supporting and stimulating the development of intellectual property protection in the country. Finally, it assists in protecting the interests of authors and copyright holders.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR CREATIVE WORK FROM INFRINGEMENT?
You are worried, your
creative work being stolen or copied without your permission.
Here are four tips
to help you protect your intellectual property.
1. Register
(deposit) the work with the Chamber for the Protection of Copyright (+998 99
808 15 55) to establish ownership.
2. Use watermarks
and digital signatures to discourage unauthorized use.
3. Consider
listing your work on an international database through the Chamber for the
Protection of Copyright to monitor its use.
4. Consult with
the Chamber's specialists about protecting your intellectual property.
Your creative work deserves protection!
Training on Binding Resolutions and Best Practices
In November 2023, the annual international event of
the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC)
occurred in Budapest (Hungary). The key topic of this event was Training on
Binding Resolutions and Best Practices. Representatives of CISAC and more than
70 participants from 25 societies of foreign countries involved in managing the
copyright on a collective basis attended the event.
The Chamber for the Protection of Copyright of
Artists, Creators, and Performers NGO represented Uzbekistan at this important
international event in the copyright and related rights field. During the
event, representatives of the Chamber negotiated with representatives of the
Sisters' international organizations and discussed problems that arise when
working with databases to determine the authors of works.
Keynote speakers at the event were Sylvain Piat
(CISAC) and Declan Rudden (SaorServices). They shared their knowledge and
experience, presented main changes to binding resolutions, and shared good
practices in collective rights management. Also, the representative of the
Balkan region, Srečko Barbarik (SOKOJ), spoke at the seminar and presented the
Balkan node CIS-Net. His report outlined the problems that countries faced
after the collapse of Yugoslavia in the field of copyright and related rights
protection and ways to solve them. One of the best options was to unite into a
single hub for further transfer of information for more accurate collection and
distribution of rewards between authors in the Balkan region and other
countries.
One of the central topics of the seminar was
documentation. Participants discussed issues related to proper record keeping
and principles for distributing remuneration for musical and audiovisual works.
Also, they considered the problems arising from incorrect registration of
authors, unidentified scenarios, and errors in the distribution of funds after
collecting.
Peter Benjamin Toth, a Hungarian Authors' Rights
Management Society (ARTISJUS) representative, shared the society's experience
and spoke about the main problems faced in collecting and distributing
remuneration to authors in Hungary.
The CISAC event in Budapest presented relevant and
intriguing topics related to collective copyright management. Participants
could discuss and share their experiences in solving problems occurring in this
area. The international CISAC event continues to serve as an essential platform
for knowledge sharing and networking among copyright management societies on a
collective basis.
COPYRIGHT PROTECTION AND COLLABORATION
The Chamber for the Protection of Copyright of Artists, Creators and Performers and the Center of Advanced Training and Retraining of Teaching Staff signed a Memorandum of Cooperation.
Within the
framework of this partnership, attention will be paid to the development of the
educational sphere in the field of copyright and related rights. Cooperation
will include the implementation of joint projects, the development of
educational programs, and advanced training of specialists on the topics
related to copyright, as well as the study of the existing legislative
framework in this field. The signed Memorandum opens up new opportunities for
the exchange of experience and training, which contributes to the further
development and strengthening of the legal system in the field of copyright
protection.
Photographic copyright infringement
Photographic copyright infringement refers to the unauthorized use of
someone else's photograph. This encompasses activities such as reproducing,
distributing, or publicly displaying a photograph without obtaining the owner's
consent. Such actions not only result in moral implications but also lead to
economic losses for the copyright holder.
According to Article 6 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On
Copyright and Related Rights," copyright protection extends to various
forms of creative works, regardless of their quantitative or qualitative
attributes, purpose, or method of expression. These works include texts,
musical compositions, photographs, videos, and fine art, all of which are
considered intellectual property.
If you intend to utilize someone else's text or share a photograph on your
platform that belongs to another individual, it is strongly advised to obtain
written permission from the copyright owner beforehand. Oral permission may be
acceptable if it has been recorded on video. However, it is important to note
that online permissions are not deemed sufficient as the identity of the
message's author cannot be reliably established.
We also recommend that copyright infringers, when faced with a settlement
offer from the copyright holder outside of court, comply with the specified
requirements if they are aware of their guilt. This approach will help avoid
legal proceedings and minimize financial losses.
In the event of unauthorized use of photographs, offenders may be subject
to the following fines and payments:
- Payment of compensation ranging from twenty to one thousand basic
calculated values, irrespective of the actual losses incurred. The amount of
compensation depends on the nature of the violation and the degree of the
offender's culpability, considering business practices.
- Imposition of fines on individuals ranging from one to five basic
calculated values, and on officials ranging from five to ten basic calculated
values. Additionally, counterfeit copies of copyrighted works and related
objects, as well as materials and equipment used for their reproduction and
distribution, may be confiscated, along with other instruments involved in the
commission of the offense.
- Counterfeit copies of copyrighted works and related objects, as well as materials and equipment used for their production and reproduction, and other instruments involved in the commission of the offense, are subject to confiscation by court order in accordance with the applicable laws.
GAAPO: A NEW VISION OF COPYRIGHT COLLABORATION
The Chamber for the Protection of Copyright of
Authors, Creators and Performers participated in the presentation of the Global
Alliance of Authors and Performers Organizations as one of co-founders.
The Global Alliance was established in Tbilisi,
Georgia by seven CISAC organizations represented seven countries (Georgia,
Uzbekistan, Armenia, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Ukraine). Participants
discussed a pressing issue in the era of globalization – the protection of
copyright. The primary aim of the Global Alliance is to safeguard the
intellectual property rights of creators across the globe and to promote a
culture of respect for original works.
The digital age has provided immense opportunities for
both creators and consumers alike, while simultaneously leading to a rapid
increase in copyright infringement cases. In numerous instances, intellectual
property is being exploited without proper credit, acknowledgment, or even
compensation. This has not just robbed people of their deserved admiration but
has threatened their very livelihood.
During videoconference on measures designed to improve
the system of intellectual property rights protection, President Shavkat
Mirziyoyev noted the commercial use of works of art and literature without
the consent of the author is one of the pressing issues at stake in Uzbekistan.
The Chamber for the Protection of Copyright (SIIP) is actively working to solve
this issue and the Global Alliance (GAAPO), established with the support of 7
countries is effective measure to for protecting copyright.
The Global Alliance allows us to take collective
action against piracy and infringement, while also establishing uniform
guidelines essential for smoother collaboration. Moreover, it ensures that
creators from various countries have equal access to resources that protect
their intellectual property rights. Furthermore, by fostering close
communication between copyright organizations globally, we can facilitate
easier resolution of disputes and help prevent cross-border infringement cases
from occurring in the first place.
Establishing the Global Alliance of Authors and Creators Organization is not just a matter of principle; it is a vital step towards securing the future of creativity worldwide.