After the “Copyright” National Association and the National Association of Phonogram Producers and Performers leveled criticism, the director of the State Agency on Intellectual Property (AGEPI) Eugeniu Rusu provided clarification over the new law on copyright and related rights. According to him, the new provisions come with a series of improvements, while the consultation procedure was respected, IPN reports.
In a news conference, the AGEPI director said that the current law was adopted in 2010 and the new bill comes with adjustments required by the current situation. The bill also contains stipulations about royalty payments. “A fixed percentage point is set as the current law provides that at least 3% will be paid in royalties. The goal is to ensure predictability for collective management organizations and for business entities so that they could determine the costs they would incur,” explained Eugeniu Rusu.
The bill also ensures greater transparency and enhanced control as regards the collection of taxes for copyright so that the authors get more money. “I had a meeting with the minister of culture and with all the creations unions, of writers, painters and filmmakers, and they all expressed their satisfaction with this bill,” stated the AGEPI director.
The “Copyright” National Association and the National Association of Phonogram Producers and Performers addressed an open letter to the senior administration, warning that the draft law on copyright is absolutely incompatible with Moldova’s EU candidate status. Representatives of the two associations, in the name of over 650 artists, composers, singers and other categories of members, said that the State Agency on Intellectual Property acts against copyright holders.
