Every year, on April 26, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) celebrates the World Intellectual Property Day in order to promote discussion of the role of intellectual property (IP) in encouraging innovation and creativity. The theme chosen for 2019 is “Reach for Gold: IP and Sports”.
While the focus this year is on the value generated by IP in the sporting sector, the wider message, as always, is about celebrating the role of IP in encouraging and rewarding creativity and innovation. FIA will therefore take the opportunity to recall the ongoing need of audiovisual performers worldwide to enjoy better protection of their IP rights. Despite their essential contribution to the success of the audiovisual industry, they are among the least protected and struggle to make ends meet.
For the past 5 years, FIA has been vocal and visible on World IP Day, reminding Member States that performers still need and deserve a Treaty to protect their IP rights: the WIPO Beijing Treaty, which outlines global standards recognizing the right of audiovisual performers to be compensated fairly for the use of their creative contributions.
The Beijing treaty indeed grants performers economic rights to improve their livelihoods and derive an acceptable income from the use of their work, and also awards them moral rights to protect their image and reputation. The WIPO member States may become parties to the Treaty, which shall become binding as a minimum threshold of 30 ratifications is reached.
Today, there are already 26 contracting parties (only 4 more ratifications needed before entry into force), the final countdown is on… We need one treaty for performers, NOW! Let’s rush towards the finish line and make it happen.
On World IP Day, FIA and its worldwide membership will be sharing customized profile pictures on social media platforms with the hashtags #BeijingTreaty and #WorldIPday to call for the final ratification of the WIPO Beijing Treaty.
FIA has integrated a simple new app into the campaign website, which will allow you to upload your selfie picture and post it online (on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc.) to support the Beijing Treaty and stay involved and visible until it’s imminent entry into force. We invite all performers and activists who believe in global IP protection for audiovisual performances to join the campaign.
The App is available from now on, and until the entry into force of the Beijing Treaty here:
