Opinion: Copyright is a tool not an ideology

Herman Spruijt, President of the International Publishers Association, believes that the IPA Copyright Symposium, which takes place in Abu Dhabi in March, offers great opportunities for both East and West

Report from BookBrunch


For the first time this year, the IPA Copyright Symposium will take place in the Arab world, at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair in March, hosted by KITAB. It is a sign of the genuine moves within the Arab publishing industry towards greater integration with the international book market, and it will provide a fitting opportunity for representatives from across publishing, from both the Arab world and beyond, to discuss the issues and challenges facing our industry globally. Particularly pertinent this year will be the issues of digitisation and e-publishing.

The Arab book market offers real potential to the western publishing industry but, at the same time, it presents many challenges. Principal amongst challenges in the past has been a lack of adherence to international copyright conventions by many of the countries within the region, coupled with a fractured market and a high incidence of piracy. The incredibly diverse Arab market requires a balance of cultural sensitivity and a push for education and progress.

Countries such as the UAE are leading the way within the region by setting a benchmark in standards through a strong legislation and education programme. A firm legal groundwork was laid in the UAE in 2002 with the revision of the country’s Copyright and Related Rights Law. In a region that has traditionally suffered from a lack of confidence in the book industry – both domestically and internationally - due to high rates of piracy, measures such as this make a firm legal framework for the advancement of the industry into international markets.
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