Consultation on proposals to change the UK's copyright system

Copyright law governs what users can do with copyright works. Technology has changed out of all recognition since the copyright rules were last amended. The Government has developed proposals intended to make copyright rules more flexible, and better suited to today's needs.

The consultation covers the rules on copying for educational uses, for people with disabilities, for quotation and reporting current events, for preservation by libraries and archives, for research and private study, for text mining for research, for parody, and for public administration. It proposes protecting all those users' rights from being removed by contracts. It also proposes a solution to the problem of orphan works, and proposes regulation of copyright Collecting Societies.

The consultation will be of interest to a wide range of people and institutions including (but not only): consumers, authors and creators, publishers, content providers, libraries, schools and universities. This consultation closed on 21 March 2012, and the Government will publish an analysis of responses within 3 months of this date.