[pp.int.general] cultural flatrate: PP position?

[Reinier Bakels]

>> Anyway, on a more practical level, most of the collective money goes to
>> the distributors, as a comopensation for the "investment" in the
>> artists. But - as I said before - these industries have spread their 
>> risks.
>
> And exactly that is what I think is the main problem. Artists have to
> emancipate from the distributors. But if we want to help them, we have
> to show them the way - and ask if the like it. At least that's the way I
> think politics should work.
During the recent debate about the extension of the term of neighbouring 
rights from 50->95 years, the renowned Max Planck institute for intellectual 
property (etc.) commented that systems intended to improve the position of 
*rights owners* (as opposed to the authors, who often are not the same) 
distractie the attion from the dire need to establish a better copyright 
contract law, that strenthens the position of the actual autors, artists 
etc. vs. record companies. In Germany there is some level of copyright 
contract law, but e.g. in NL it is under study for ages.

Copyright contract law comes on top of plain contract law. While plain 
contract law assumes the parties are equivalant (just as strong), in law 
there are various types of special contract law: for the labour contract, 
for the consumer (purchase) contract, and - hoefully soon - for the author 
contract.

reinier