ICOM’s Efforts to Advocate for Exceptions to Copyright for Museums

"ICOM applauds any effort to experiment and discuss issues surrounding exceptions to copyright for museums. It is within the context of experimentation, that ICOM wishes participants at today’s program well. While an American approach to copyright law and fair use may not be suitable in every copyright system and cultural environment, it is still to everyone’s benefit to examine, ponder and discuss the various legal systems and their benefits and limitations so as to better understand subject matter. Since 2014, ICOM has advocated before the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the United Nations Agency responsible for international treaties about copyright law and related policies and programs, for exceptions to copyright for museums. ICOM’s position is that exceptions to copyright for museums are necessary to allow museums to fulfill their missions, given how museums access and communicate materials in the twenty-first century. For this reason, ICOM and its partner organizations, the International Federation of Library Associations and the International Council of Archives, have advocated for an international treaty on subject. In 2014, ICOM was successful in lobbying member states of WIPO for support to commission a study about the current status internationally of museum exceptions to copyright. This study was the first of its kind. Previously, WIPO had only addressed copyright exceptions for libraries and archives. WIPO published the museums study in 2015...."