A capacity-building workshop for players in the textual and visual works sector on collective management in the field of reprography, brought together on March 2, 2023, in Lomé, the creators and publishers of literary works, as well as the users of these works. Organized by the Togolese Office of Copyright (BUTODRA), in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the meeting made it possible to raise the awareness of these various actors of the book on the management of reproduction rights by reprography and to collect their expectations. This, in order to create a dynamic allowing to move towards the effective implementation of this right in Togo.
The Togolese Copyright Office (BUTODRA) wants to collect royalties on the reprography of textual and visual works. Yesterday in Lomé, a capacity building workshop for actors in the sector on collective management in reprography brought together, for this purpose, creators and publishers of literary works, as well as users of these works. The meeting made it possible to inform the participants of the provisions provided for in the new text of BUTODRA in the process of being adopted and which takes into account the perception of this copyright and to reflect on the ways and means that can bring to the authors of the book sector, compensation for the photocopying and digitization of their works.
On the occasion, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Dr Kossi Gbégnon Lamadokou, explained that Togo has always been concerned about the protection of intellectual works, the rights of authors, performers, producers of phonograms and videograms. ” The country’s ratification of international conventions or agreements for the protection of copyright and related rights such as the Berne Convention and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights are proof of this. “, he explained. He pointed out that printing and publishing cover a wide range of products and services and make textual content available to the public in both analog and digital form and account for a considerable share of the copyright industries. ” But it is clear that with the development and accessibility of the means of reproduction, photocopying has become an activity present in the socio-cultural sectors of the country and constitutes a colossal use of printed documents. However, a flourishing publishing market is necessary so that the authors of literary works can live from their art and so that publishers can invest safely in production and distribution. “, he said.
Workshop support
The right to prohibit or authorize the reproduction of his work against remuneration
The Director General of BUTODRA, Mr. Komla Edjidomélé, suggested that while it is true that the public has the right to access information, which causes them to photocopy printed documents, the author of these documents also has the right to prohibit or authorize reproduction against remuneration. ” Faced with the growing volumes of unauthorized photocopies of printed works, thus depriving authors and publishers of their right to remuneration, it is urgent to find appropriate solutions in order to legalize this practice by guaranteeing users’ access to information and remuneration authors and publishers “, he noted. Mr. Edjidomélé explained that a few years after the adoption of the 1991 law on the protection of copyright, a seminar on the collective management of reprography rights had been organized with the support of WIPO. ” On the legislative level, the Togolese law in its article 6, lists the works protected by copyright. And among these works of the mind are prominently books, pamphlets and other writings, as well as works created for the stage, both dramatic and dramatico-musical as well as choreographic. “, he specified. According to him, the current texts that govern its structure do not take into account the perception of copyright on the reprography of textual and visual works. ” It is a question of sensitizing the actors on the management of this right and to draw inspiration from the experience of other countries such as Burkina-Faso which is very advanced in the management of this right. “, he reported.
Remember that reprography is the set of processes that make it possible to make identical copies of a work of texts and writings.
The Togolese Copyright Office (BUTODRA) was created by the law of June 10, 1991, to manage the rights and defend the interests of authors. It also fights against the counterfeiting of works.
Francoise AOUI
