Open Letter against the revision of the Swiss copyright law

(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar)

At the end of September 2006, a new initiative, called kunstfreiheit.ch
(freedom of art) was launched in Switzerland. It is basically an open letter
to the Swiss Minister of Justice and the Swiss parliamentarians calling
attention to the fact that the reform/expansion of copyright, which is
currently being debated, is not in the interest of artists. After 40
prominent Swiss artists, curators and professors have signed it in advance,
now the open letter is available to the public for further support from
Internet users.

Switzerland is one of the last European countries to revise its copyright
law following the 1996 WIPO treaties.

The main aim of the open letter is to make public the differing interests
between artists and industry, helping to undermine the myth, which is still
politically powerful, that the industry represents the interests of artists.

The letter is drafted around three main principles that should be reflected
in the new copyright law:
a. Protection of artistic works should be in the heart of the copyright
rather than having a higher control them
b. Legal certainty in the usage of the present copyrighted works
c. New artistic creativity should not be undermined by the DRMs

The response from the visitors have been positive in the first week, with
400 artists and art professionals having signed the open letter.

Kunstfreiheit (Freedom of Art) (in German only)
http://www.kunstfreiheit.ch

Open letter on copyright – Kunstfreiheit (29.09.2006)

In German
http://www.kunstfreiheit.ch/serendipity/uploads/Kunstfreiheit-brief.pdf

In French
http://www.kunstfreiheit.ch/serendipity/uploads/Kunstfreiheit-brief_f.pdf

In Italian
http://www.kunstfreiheit.ch/serendipity/uploads/Kunstfreiheit-brief_i.pdf

Initiative Freedom of Art crticises the Swiss copyright plans (2.10.2006)
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/78932

Succesful initiative again copyright revision (3.10.2006)
http://www.kleinreport.ch/print_meld.phtml?id=36931

(Contribution by Felix Stalder – Department of New Media, HGK Zurich –
Switzerland)