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UNI MEI launches campaign to build a global IP culture at its General Assembly meeting in Mexico City on 29 November 2011

On the first day of the Assembly, UNI MEI assesses global campaign against digital theft and the current developments at national and international levels. Affiliates commit to widen the campaign beyond the protection of creative content and remuneration of creators and call for building a global IP culture. The campaign will reach out to all stakeholders and decision makers as well as civil society. The aim is to bring about change in legislation, industrial policy and education to recognise intellectual property as a driver for creativity, the fundament for artistic and creative freedom and the basis for economic sustainability for the entire creative industry

Guest speaker Benoît Ginisty Executive Director of the International federation of Film and Video Producers Associations, FIAPF said: “Too many politicians think a free internet means content must also be free. The consequence of that is less jobs, less growth, less taxes and less cultural expression. We need to change the common perception that intellectual property rights are an obstacle to growth and creativity. They are not – they are the foundation of our industry. We are looking forward to continue to work with UNI MEI to campaign for building a global IP culture”.

Moving the resolution on intellectual property rights Martin Spence, Assistant General Secretary of UK-affiliate BECTU, made an impassioned plea to step up the fight against the internet pirates. He said: “There are those who use the language of human rights, anti-capitalism or civil liberties to justify downloading films for free. Their use of such language is bogus, an insult. Human rights are about child labour, slavery or women's rights. Not being able to download the latest Johnny Depp Pirates of the Caribbean film for free is not a denial of human rights.”

UNI-MEI President Heinrich Bleicher-Nagelsmann called for working people to be made the first priority, adding they should not be forced to pay for the economic crisis they did not create. Recognition of the of the economic and creative value of the cultural sector needs to translate into continued support for public investment in cultural sector in order to create an sustainable environment for good jobs and creation in the digital world.

And Head of Department Johannes Studinger, setting out the enormous programme of work undertaken as part of the Breaking Through campaign, said: “We want society to recognise the value of what our members do. The idea is everything should be quicker, cheaper with less emphasis on quality and more on speed. Cultural budgets are often the first to be cut by governments.“ Our job is not just to protect content but to change the perception of our industry as one that must be valued as it plays a vital role in society. We need to build a global IP Culture”.

Download resolution "Building a Global IP Culture" from the menu above "related"