Gowers Report Recommends Tougher Online Piracy Laws for UK
The Gowers Report on Intellectual Property, released on December 7, recommends that UK laws be changed to toughen criminal penalties for online piracy. The report, which was commissioned by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in December 2005, recommends that Section 107 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (CDPA) be amended to increase the maximum penalty for a copyright offense committed online from two to ten years. This would bring online infringement penalties to the same levels as penalties for physical infringement. The increased penalty would also apply to consumers whose online infringement prejudicially affects the rights holder.
The Gowers Report also recommends that police give IP crime higher enforcement priority in light of the demonstrated links between it and organized crime.
While the Report's recommendations were generally welcomed by rights holders, the British recording industry expressed disappointment at Gowers' recommendation that the 50-year term of copyright protection for recorded music not be extended to 95 years.
A copy of the Report is available on-line at the website of HM Treasury.