Takoradi, May 7, GNA - Mr. Joe Ghartey, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, on Monday said the new Copyright Law, Act 690 of 2005, meets the minimum requirements of international agreements and treaties on copyright, phonograms and the internet. This was contained in an address read for him at a two-day regional workshop on the Copyright Law organised by the Copyright Office and the Ministry of Justice at Takoradi.

The workshop, which was attended by musicians, dealers of cassettes and compact discs and security personnel, was under the theme "The Role of Copyright in National Development".

Mr. Ghartey said the law met the minimum requirements of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Rights (Trips) Agreement and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Internet Treaties. The new law also provides stiffer punishment for copyright infringement and the Copyright Tribunal would settle issues involving use and determination of royalties.

Mr. Ghartey said the maximum and minimum fines levels under the previous law were very low and did not constitute enough deterrent to pirates of intellectual properties.

The new law, which corrects the anomalies in the previous law, is an attempt by the government to introduce the legal framework to bring sanity within the creative industry.

He urged all stakeholders in the copyright sector to unite and forge a common front against piracy of creative works.

Mr. Kwesi Blay, Deputy Western Regional Minister, advised the public to seek the consent of producers of creative works before copying and imitating their works.

He said authors of creative works have the legal rights over their works even 70 years after their death. Mr. Blay called on the public to co-operate with security agencies to clamp down on pirates of creative works.

Mr. Bernard Bosumprah, the Copyright Administrator, advised those who smuggle pirated compact discs into the country to stop. "Our streets, alleys and lorry parks are littered with pirated CDs being sold by citizens and foreigners alike and such activities are unacceptable to the copyright office".

Mr. Bosumprah said his office would organise anti-piracy operations with support from the police administration to seize pirated works and prosecute offenders. 07 May 07