The UAE has officially launched the Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association (ERRA) to boost the protection of the rights of authors and publishers, among other aspects.
ERRA’s main function will be to monitor the use of print and digital works in schools, universities, copy and print centers, as well as public libraries, in collaboration with relevant government entities including the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Education, National Media Counc…
The launch ceremony was held at the House of Wisdom (HoW) in Sharjah in the presence of Bodour Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Association (IPA) and Honorary President of ERRA; Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy; Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth; and Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, and high-level officials representing various entities in the publishing sector.
Reprography and reprography rights
Basically, by definition, reprography is the action of making a copy by mechanical or electronic means of an existing image or text. Reprography mostly includes printing, scanning, photocopying, digital transmission, or storage. Normally, it can be found in universities, schools, archives, libraries, and government agencies.
Reprographic rights are considered “secondary rights” in contrast to a rights holder’s primary right to license the original publication of the graphic image or text.
Reprographic rights are a new concept in the market because, in reality, it is difficult for rights holders to manage and control the action of, for example, libraries in every sector of the world.
Accordingly, the organizations such as ERRA are established to help the publishers and authors protect their rights.
For ERRA, their main responsibility since the foundation is to monitor and enforce rights and collect and distribute royalties to the rightsholder.
Expert opinions
At the opening ceremony, Ms. Qasimi has stated: “We are proud to launch the pioneering Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association, a first-of-its-kind initiative in the region that bolsters the position and role of the UAE in stimulating and encouraging creative industries as a fundamental pillar of the modern economy. The launch also reflects the growing dependence on intangible assets or intellectual capital as exemplified by the rapid expansion of the cultural and creative industries in the UAE’s digital economy.”
Bodour Al Qasimi emphasized that the establishment of ERRA is a major step in the right direction. It is also the clearest indicator that the UAE government takes the protection of the rights of authors and publishers in very high regard.
Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri stated: “We thank Bodour Al Qasimi for establishing and launching this association, and for her ongoing efforts and pioneering initiatives that foster the development of knowledge, culture, and creative environment in Sharjah and the UAE. Under the forward-looking vision of wise leadership, the UAE has focused on building a knowledge-based economy and is developing its legislative ecosystem to create the best society and economy, as well as become the best destination for trade, businesses, investments, talents, and creative people.”
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