Rabat – Morocco’s House of Representatives has unanimously approved the draft law number 60.10 amending law 2.00 on copyright and related rights.
About 125 deputies voted for the draft law, while 46 voted against. The vote took place during the House of Representatives’ plenary session on April 11.
Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication Mahdi Bensaid said the government drafted the bill to protect authors’ rights, which testifies to its engagement in social and cultural fields.
The multifaceted bill will give the Moroccan Copyright Office more financial independence and rename it the “Moroccan Office of Copyright and Related Rights.” This will strengthen the work of the office to face the emerging challenges in the copyright sector both domestically and internationally.
The draft law also aims to digitize musical and visual works for easy access to people with disabilities.
This project is in line with several international conventions including the Marrakech Treaty, which was implemented to facilitate access to published works for people with visual impairments.
In addition, the draft law seeks to create a social fund for creatives to enable them to benefit from the social coverage system.
The Moroccan Office of Copyright and Related Rights will create a tool to help monitor copyright infringements to protect Moroccan creatives, according to a statement from the ministry.
Bensaid also noted that the office is set to have a dynamic role in the field of literary and artistic property, using advanced tools and information systems to further protect the rights of authors’ artistic projects.
The draft law also intends to reinforce the digital protection of copyright and related rights as well as the resale rights of artistic work, such as paintings and sculptures.
The Moroccan Office of Copyright dates back to the 1940s, with a legal role of advising authors and artists and helping them to manage their rights individually when concluding various contracts to guarantee their rights.
The office also focuses on the social inclusion of artists as well as the preservation of the cultural identity of their work.
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