British Copyright Council

The The British Copyright Council (BCC) is a membership organisation representing those who create, hold interests or manage rights in literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, films, sound recordings, broadcasts and other material in which rights of copyright, or related rights, subsist under the United Kingdom's copyright law (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 as amended) and those who perform such works. Founded in 1965 and incorporated in 2007, the British Copyright Council is a not-for-profit organisation that provides a forum for members to discuss and to identify common ground concerning copyright law and related issues at UK, European and international levels. The BCC is independent and receives no government funding. Copyright and related rights enable creators and performers to earn a living, as well as playing a vital role in sustaining businesses in the creative industries. The BCC's members are organisations representing a full range of copyright and related rights representatives, including professional associations, industry bodies and trade unions, which together represent hundreds of thousands of authors, creators, performers, publishers and producers. This community of rights holders comprises many individual freelancers, sole traders and SMEs as well as larger corporations within the creative and cultural industries. BCC members also include collective management organisations which represent rights holders and facilitate access to works of creativity. The BCC's role is to inform and represent its members, and to promote the effectiveness of, and respect for, copyright. In the UK, the BCC is consulted by Government departments, agencies and regulators. It also follows copyright developments in the European Union and is an NGO Observer Member of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). Within the BCC, members are encouraged to review and debate proposals for legislative change. Discussions on specific issues take place either in the full Council or in delegated Working Groups. From such discussion the Council's views are developed and further member consultation takes place before a final position, statement or response is approved by the Board. The BCC responds to relevant proposals or consultations initiated by governments at local, regional and international level. However, it also responds to papers on copyright and related rights produced by other interest groups and is proactive in making recommendations and urging action on these by Government and other policymakers. Activities in 2024-25 During the year to 30 June 2025 the BCC was active in a number of key areas affecting copyright and related rights. The BCC has maintained its presence on trade advisory groups and the IP Crime Advisory Group, and continues to liaise with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of HM Government on policy matters concerning copyright and related rights. Following the General Election on 4 July 2024, the BCC has established and maintained contact with the ministers responsible for IP, corresponded with MP's involved in IP matters and continued to participate in roundtable discussions on key issues with ministers and officials. The BCC discussed pertinent issues with the IPO in bi-annual Joint Consultative meetings including copyright and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and international trade matters, and was pleased to host a lunch for IPO Attaches, IPO officials and BCC members in April. The BCC continued to represent its members at the IPO's Research Expert Advisory Group (REAG) throughout the year. The BCC has been liaising with other rightsholder groups to present a unified view of the UK creative sector, including the Alliance for IP and Creative Rights in AI Coalition, with whom it co-hosted a Make It Fair event in parliament in May. Papers were delivered on a range of consultations based on the work of the Copyright and Technology Working Group which met to discuss and formulate policy. These included the fifth submission in response to the Information Commissioner's Office consultation series on generative AI and data protection, submissions to the Department for Business & Trade's consultation on the Government's future trade strategy and to the call for evidence by the Joint Committee on Human Rights, and a detailed response to the Government's Copyright & AI Consultation which is still ongoing. There were no changes of personnel during the year. WIPO-BCC Advanced Level course on Copyright and Related Rights Following a restructuring and changes of personnel within WIPO and the WIPO Academy, the course was paused for a year. Considerable planning for the September 2025 course took place during the year.