Columbia University in the City of New York | New York, N. Y. 10027 SCHOOL OF LAW 435 West 116th Street February 18, 1988 The Hon. Robert W. Kastenmeier House of Representatives 2328 Rayburn Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Representative Kastenmeier: This is to tell you that I strongly support Berne Adherence legislation (without special provision for so-called "moral rights") and hope that you will work for adoption of this legislation. Adherence to Berne is essential if we are to play our proper role in world efforts to maintain intellectual property protection and combat piracy. According to Forbes Magazine, intellectual property and the entertainment industries are the U.S.'s second largest income producing sources. We must bend every effort to aid them effectively. give. Thank you for your consideration and any assistance you can Sincerely yours, John M. Kernechan (SMB) John M. Kernochan Nash Professor of Law JMK: sb February 19, 1988 ELSEVIER Science Publishing Company, Inc. The Hon. Robert W. Kastenmeier Chairman, Subcommittee on Courts, Civil Liberties, and the Administration of Justice House Committee on the Judiciary 2137 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Congressman Kastenmeier: I am writing on behalf of Elsevier Science Publishing Co. to strongly urge your support of the United States' adherence to the Berne Convention. We believe Berne is important for the defense of U.S. copyrights and will become even more so in the future. It has been our experience in many international copyright meetings and committees that the rest of the world looks to the U.S. to provide the model in copyright matters. The U.S. is expected to be the leader, and its absence from Berne weakens international enforcement efforts. We recognize there is concern about publisher-author relations under Berne. We do not expect problems to develop. As an international publishing company headquartered in the Netherlands, Elsevier works with authors worldwide and publishes within Berne countries without any adverse effect on our author dealings. Nevertheless, in order to preserve the present publisher-author relationships, we recommend coupling adherence to Berne with legislation which explicitly retains the existing laws which affect such relationships. We appreciate your continuing efforts in support of appropriate copyright legislation. Sincerely, Karen Hunt Karen Hunter Vice President and Assistant to the Chairman 52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, New York 10017 (212) 370-5520 · Int'l Telex 420643 · Telecopier 212 916-1288 IMPRINTS Elsevier North-Holland Excerpta Medica Elsevier Sequoia Elsevier Applied Science MEPC Cuadra/Elsevier Elsevier International Bulletins I am writing to express my support for legislation that would make the United States an adherent to the Berne Copyright Convention. As a small publisher of high quality artbooks, Hudson Hills However, throughout my quarter-century in publishing, I have The benefits of Berne in terms of piracy and trade protection AIDAA is a world-wide organization of companies collecting audiovisual rights. We understand the United States Congress and, this week the United We insist, in the interest of our creative artists, whose work is exhibited in the United States, and in the interest of all artists internationally that appropriate moral rights legislation be included in United States domestic law in strict conformity with the requirements of Article 6 bis of the Berne Convention. Such concepts as an exclusion from protection of these artists who work for hire are anathema to the purposes and philosophy of Article 6 bis. Claims that current American domestic law is sufficient to comply with Article 6 bis are demonstrably false, as, for example in the case of the defacement of films in the United States. Our organization will insist that our governments most vigorously Respectfully yours, João CORREA General Secretary The European Federation of Audiovisual Filmmakers represents 5657 screenwriters and directors who are members of 19 professional associations in 16 european countries. FERA has been recognized as non-governmental international organization by the Commission and the Council of Ministers of the European Communities, the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the World Intellectual Property Organization, etc... We understand the United States Congress and, this week the United We insist, in the interest of our creative artists, whose work is exhibited in the United States, and in the interest af all artists internationally that appropriate moral rights legislation be included in United States domestic law in strict conformity with the requirements of Article 6 bis of the Berne Convention. Such concepts as an exclusion from protection of these artists who work for hire are anathema to the purposes and philosophy of Article 6 bis. Claims that current American domestic law is sufficient to comply with Article 6 bis are demonstrably false, as, for example in the case of the defacement of films in the United States. Our organization will insist that our governments most vigorously Respectfully yours, |