Veropedia is saddened by the efforts of the European Union to limit access to the vast creative output of the human spirit by extending copyright restrictions on the works of musicians and performers from 50 to 95 years. Such legislation would limit access to the earliest recordings of classical music and the songs of both World Wars. It would inhibit the creativity of modern artists, who build upon the works of forebears in their own works, and it would impede the efforts of our era to make the creative genius of the past free and accessible to all.

While we embrace the principle that people have a right to be rewarded for their creativity, we also believe in the ideal of a shared cultural heritage, which is the right of all people everywhere. The proposed extension of copyright provisions prevents free access to this priceless human legacy. It limits the creative freedom of a new generation of artists and the cultural freedom of communities of listeners and learners.

We therefore call on Commissioner Charlie McCreevey of the European Union to reconsider the extension of copyright protection for performers from 50 to 95 years. This will not only benefit modern performers and listeners, but serve as an example to other countries, including the United States, to relax their copyright laws and share the wealth of our common cultural heritage.

Since 20 February 2008, we have collected 113 signatures

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