Copyright Amendment Bill: EU investors reconsider SA investments on account of the Bill
9 April 2020
The European Union’s Ambassador to South Africa, Riina Kionka, has sent a letter to the Presidency advising that European copyright holders are concerned about the Copyright Amendment Bill.
In a letter sent on 20 March 2020, Kionka noted that, as a result of the legal uncertainty introduced by the Bill, the EU’s film, music and publishing industries are reconsidering their investment plans in South Africa.
This latest warning to the government about the detrimental impact of the Bill echoes the same issues that the Copyright Coalition of South Africa has addressed:
The fair use provisions in the Bill create ‘an extensive list of broadly defined and non-compensated exceptions.’ This exposes holders of copyright to exploitation of their creation without remuneration – literally the expropriation of intellectual property without compensation.