ARTISTS' RESALE RIGHT

EDM number 106 in 2005-06, proposed by Derek Wyatt on 17/05/2005.

That this House notes the recent consultation on the implementation of the Artists' Resale Right Directive; further notes that the legislation entitles visual creators whose work is protected by copyright to a share of the price each time their work is resold thus helping the creative community by enabling artists to share in their work's commercial success and increasing value; acknowledges the concessions secured by the Government during the debates on that legislation to protect the interests of the art market by setting maximum percentages and capping levels for the resale right; agrees with the Design and Artists Copyright Society representing 36,000 fine artists and their heirs in addition to 16,000 photographers, illustrators, craftspeople, cartoonists, architects, animators and designers that the Directive should now be implemented in a way that ensures as many artists and their heirs as possible benefit from its provisions; welcomes the recent Report of the Culture Media and Sport Committee on its inquiry into the market for art which recommended that the threshold at which the resale right applies should be lowered from 3,000 euros to 1,000 euros, that the royalty rate of the price band up to 50,000 euros should be increased to five per cent., and that a system of compulsory collective administration should be introduced; and believes that if implemented in this way the legislation will give a substantial boost not only to thousands of artists and their heirs, but also the whole art market.

This motion has been signed by a total of 40 MPs.