House of Lords, Official Report,
here (pp. 1553-1582).
UK Goverment: "The presence of the
contract override
clause gives users, consumers and businesses certainty
and clarity that the exceptions apply in all circumstances
regardless of the detail of a contract. Without such
clauses restrictive contract terms could prevent the
uses permitted by the exceptions, thus preventing benefits
from being realised. This is not merely a hypothetical
fear. Many responses to the various consultations have
told us that contracts permitting access to copyright
works frequently contain terms that prevent users
from carrying out activity that otherwise would be
permitted by law (...). The law will apply to contracts regardless of
the date on which they were formed but will take effect
only after the new law comes into force. The contract
override provisions simply ensure that, where the law
provides for an exception to copyright, people are able
to rely on that law without having to work out whether
there is a contract term to the contrary creating a
whole patchwork of different legal situations.
Ensuring that the personal copying exception cannot
be overridden by contract terms will mean that consumers
are given clarity and certainty over what they can do
with the media they buy. Most people assume that the
law already allows them to make the type of personal
copies covered by our legislation. Very few people read
the detailed licensing terms that accompany digital
downloads. We want the goods so we just tend to
accept the terms. Ensuring that the new law on personal
copying applies in all circumstances, regardless of
contract and licensing terms, will bring much needed
clarity to the law and fairness for consumers, which I
welcome" (p. 1575).
"The Government believe that the copyright system has not
kept pace with the digital revolution. As a result, a
great many
intuitively acceptable activities are illegal
or uncertain. These changes relating to private copying,
parody and use of quotations form part of a package
that should make copyright works more valuable to
all, give users clarity about their rights and build
respect for copyright in the process. They will contribute
to a more modern statute book that meets the challenges
of an increasingly digital and changing world" (p. 1580).
