ECOWAS Directors General Of Copyright Offices from Member States on Harmonization of Private Copying Royalties Systems

With the collaborative effort of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the ECOWAS Commission has called on Directors General of copyright offices from Member States to collaborate on strategies aimed at accelerating the implementation of private copying royalties’ systems across Member States.

The workshop, held at the Coconut Grove Hotel in Accra, Ghana from 18 to 20 September 2024, was chaired by Mr. Andrew Egyapa Mercer, Ghana’s Honorable Minister for Tourism, Arts, and Culture. The honorable Minister, in his opening remarks, commended ECOWAS for this vital initiative, emphasizing its role in ensuring authors and creators in the region receive fair share and are well compensated for their contribution to the society. He then urged Directors General to explore strategies for harmonizing private copying across the region, noting the assembly’s primary objective is to strengthen capacity and develop a unified strategy for all ECOWAS Member States.

Speaking on behalf of, Prof. Fatou SOW/SARR, ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Dr Roland KOUAKOU, Director Education, Science and Culture emphasized the importance of this gathering for the region’s cultural and creative industries. Dr. Roland, noted that the challenge of the private copy implementation in member states are as a result of the misinterpretation of some text at the national level. However, through this assembly, ECOWAS seeks to build on the progress made within UEMOA region under Directive No. 07/2023/CM/UEMOA, which harmonizes private copying provisions, and extend these efforts across all ECOWAS Member States. He enjoined the Directors General to invest themselves fully in the meeting to identify avenues for harmonization and enable ECOWAS to address the issue of Private Copying Royalties in the best possible way

At the conclusion of the meeting, key recommendations were made to advance the harmonization of private copying royalties’ systems across ECOWAS Member States. Stakeholders were urged to focus on capacity-building through training, advocacy, and raising awareness. Additionally, impact studies on the usage and effectiveness of private copying remuneration should be conducted, alongside the establishment of a regional mechanism to monitor transparency and reciprocity between Member States. Countries were also encouraged to strengthen their regulatory frameworks in consultation with WIPO and regional intellectual property bodies. Furthermore, it was recommended that a

portion of private copying revenues be allocated to fund periodic studies on the economic contribution of the copyright and creative industries to GDP and employment.

Finally, the meeting highlighted the need for ECOWAS to address the impact of rapid technological advancements on copyright works, with private copying revenues supporting IT infrastructural development to mitigate these challenges. With these, the harmonization of private copying regulations will not only ensure fair compensation for artists, authors, and producers but also drive cultural development and the growth of a sustainable creative economy in the region.

ECOWAS was represented by Dr. Roland KOUAKOU, acting Director Education, Science and Culture, and Dr. Raguidissida Emile, Head of Culture Division.