Collective management of copyright is relevant for the development of the copyright-based industry in Africa.
 

Authors:

JJ Baloyi and D Oriakhogba

Summary: 

This book chapter offers comprehensive insights on the law and policy governing collective managements of copyright in Africa. Adopting a doctrinal methodology based on a desk research, the chapter undertakes an in-depth examination of the establishment, nature, functions, and operation, including the challenges faced and ways of overcoming the challenges, of collective management organisations (CMOs) in Africa. Collective management of copyright, with CMOs as its fulcrum, is a core element of the economic activity within the copyright-based industries in Africa. The core objectives of collective management of copyright include monitoring uses of copyright works by CMOs on behalf of copyright owners; negotiation with, and granting of copyright licenses to prospective users; collecting such royalties from copyright users; and distributing the royalties to copyright owners on whose behalf the royalties were collected. It also involves instituting infringement claims by CMOs on copyright owners’ behalf. The chapter comparatively examines insights from specific sample countries drawn from the Southern, Eastern and Western (with brief reference to countries from Northern and Central) sub-regions and language blocs of Africa. The chapter concludes that, with over 32 CMO on the continent, collective management of copyright continue to have a significant impact on the copyright-based industry in Africa, especially in the area of revenue generation for creators and investors in the industry and in the access infrastructure it provides to users of copyright-protected works.


Link to the Book