Highlights of The Copyright (Amendment) Bill 2010

New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) A proposed bill amends the Copyright Act, 1957 to bring it in conformity with international treaties. It introduces a system of statutory licensing to protect the owners of literary or musical works.

Highlights:

-- Copyright in a film currently rests with the producer for 60 years. The bill extends copyright to a director as well, but for 70 years. In some cases, this amendment also applies to films produced before the bill.

-- The bill makes special provisions for those whose work is used in films or sound recordings (e.g. lyricists or composers). Rights to royalties from such works, when used in media other than films or sound recordings, shall rest with the creator of the work and can only be assigned to heirs, or copyright societies which act in their interests.

-- The bill allows for the production of copyrighted work in special formats (such as Braille), for use by persons with disability, without infringing copyright. It also specifies a procedure by which work can be produced in general formats, for use by such persons.

-- The act gives authors, or their representatives, the right to claim damages against use of their work (while under copyright), in a way which adversely affects their reputation. The bill allows such a right to be exercised indefinitely, as opposed to being restricted to the term of copyright, as is the case currently.