[Fsfe-ie] McCreevy wants 95 year copyright

[John Latham]

On 2/15/08, Ciaran O'Riordan <ciaran at fsfe.org> wrote:

> >
> > http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/14/business/EU-FIN-EU-Music-Royalties.php
> >
> > As European Commissioner for Internal Market, McCreevy wants to extend
> > copyright from 50 years to 95 years.  His reason?  People are now living
> > longer.
> >
> > You couldn't make it up.  He says he wants to ensure that teen artists can
> > rely on their work providing them a pension.
> >
>   

I thought copyrights were a regulatory intervention designed to promote 
innovation, not a pension fund for people who haven't produced anything 
since their teenage years.

I can't see a teen artist deciding against a rock 'n roll lifestyle 
because they are concerned about pension prospects.

Maybe "Free-market champion fights to extend monopolies, again" might be 
appropriate. Or was that done during swpat?

John