Have Your Say: Copyright Amendment Bill [B13B-2017] and Performers’ Protection Amendment Bill [B24B-2016]

The Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry invites stakeholders and interested parties to submit written submissions with reference only to clause 13 (sections 12A, 12B, 12C and 12D), clause 19 (section 19B) and clause 20 (section 19C) in relation to the Copyright Amendment Bill [B13B-2017].

This call for further submission is in response to the President’s reservations in that various sections of the Bill, including section 12A, which deals with the fair use of a work or the performance of a work, was not put out for public comment before the final version of the Bill was published and that certain copyright exceptions may be unconstitutional.

Furthermore, the Committee invites stakeholders and interested parties to submit written submissions with reference to the alignment of the Copyright Amendment Bill [B13B-2017] and the Performers’ Protection Amendment Bill [B24B-2016] with the obligations set out in international treaties, including the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Copyright Treaty, the WIPO Performance and Phonograms Treaty, and the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled.

Please note that submissions must be limited to the President’s reservations, issues raised beyond this cannot, in accordance with the Joint Rules of Parliament, be considered by the Portfolio Committee.

A copy of the Bill is available on the Parliamentary Website or alternatively, you can contact the Secretariat (details below).

Submissions must be received by no later than 12:00 on Friday, 9 July 2021. Public hearings will be scheduled on Wednesday, 4 August, and Thursday, 5 August 2021. These hearings will be conducted on a virtual platform.

All correspondence should be addressed to Mr D Nkosi, Chairperson: PC on Trade and Industry and marked for the attention of Mr A Hermans, Box 15, Parliament, Cape Town 8000.

Kindly direct all enquiries and written submissions to the Secretariat.

By email: ahermans@parliament.gov.za; tmadima@parliament.gov.za; msheldon@parliament.gov.za; ymanakaza@parliament.gov.za

Issued by Mr D Nkosi, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry