Guadalajara: The Emirates Reprographic Rights Association (ERRA) organised a panel discussion as part of Sharjah’s Guest of Honour programme at the 36th Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL 2022), highlighting the UAE and Argentina’s experience in defending reprographic rights.
FIL 2022 marks the first international participation for ERRA.
The session was titled ‘Reprographic rights between UAE and Latin America’ and featured Dr Alyazia Khalifa, President of the Board of Directors of ERRA; Dr Afra Atiq, Vice President of ERRA; and Vice president of CADRA, Ana Maria Cabinillas, from Argentina. It was moderated by writer Saleha Obaid, who is a board member of ERRA.
The session addressed the importance of collective management organisations for reprography and answered a set of questions related to the nature of organisations in this field and their work regarding reprographic rights, especially in Argentina.
The session also highlighted the efforts that led to the establishment of ERRA, who have been signing contracts with publishers and authors in order to handle their reprographic rights management. ERRA reflected on their various international experiences, and their benefit of being a member of the International Federation of Reprographic Organisations (IFRRO), which includes more than 80 countries across the world.
Impact on the industry
Dr Khalifa stressed the importance of copyright management organisations and intellectual property and its role in creating an advanced and innovative environment for both individuals and the society. This is where the role of NGOs and collective management organisations comes in, to inform policy makers about protecting the intellectual rights of individuals, who ultimately enhance the cultural and creative landscape.
Dr Khalifa indicated that ERRA was established aiming to protect the intellectual rights of content creators. It is the first-of-its-kind organisation in the Arab region to address the challenges related to copying works and similar behaviours, in addition to devoting the principle of collective management for copyright policies, and supplement the applicable laws in the UAE related to the protection of intellectual property.
Interaction of stakeholders
In light of Argentina’s case study in the areas of reprographic rights and collective management, Ana Maria Cabinillas addressed the important role that collective management organisations play through benefiting from legislation and the interaction of stakeholders in the field.
She also highlighted the nature of transformations in the Argentine experience within the field of collective management, before and after the establishment of CADRA in Argentina, along with the most important challenges that need to be solved in order to enhance Argentina’s role in this field.
New concept
Dr Atiq focused on the importance of such organisations in increasing the community’s interest in developing the creative industry and preserving the rights of content creators in the UAE and the Arab region.
She indicated that the right holders from publishers and authors in this field need to be supported, and have strong links with organisations, associations that contribute to creating an effective and economically-stable environment to help all of them make the best use of their works.
This session is part of a series of upcoming panel discussions and activities within the association’s program, aiming to network with local as well as international organisations in the field of reprography and intellectual property, and to introduce ERRA and its work to the, public users and content creators and the general public that is attending the Guadalajara International Book Fair this year.
