1. Caribbean Reprographic Project
Carol Newman
JAMCOPY

2. Introducing the Caribbean
Several islands and mainland territories surrounded by, or bordering on, the Caribbean Sea
Spread from the southern tip of Florida in the north to the northern shores of Venezuela in the south and all that lies in between
Several groupings within this region but the one applicable for the purposes of this presentation is the CARICOM grouping

3. Territories of the Caribbean

4. CARICOM English speaking Commonwealth Caribbean States
Established in 1973 to facilitate cooperation in economic, social, cultural and political matters
Membership extended in 1995 to include non-English speaking states
14 member states
Population of 15 million

5. Important Demographics
St. Kitts and Nevis has smallest population – 44,000
Jamaica has largest (English speaking) – 2.7M
Lowest GDP – Guyana - US$831
Highest GDP – The Bahamas –US$15,894
But, next to the Bahamas is Barbados with US$9,700

6. Purpose of IP Administration
To promote copyright compliance
To enable commerce to exist around copyright
To provide efficient management of rights for both rights holders and users
To return VALUE to rights holders (value not exclusively limited to money)

7. Regional Challenges and Solutions
The region faces unique challenges:
small size and population base of the territories
their low GDP
National collecting societies do not generate sufficient revenue for viability, efficiency and sustainability.
The smaller pool of licensors (rightsholders) and prospective licensees (users) in the area of reprographic reproduction rights, relative to musical rights, makes a regional approach less taxing on the limited resources of the countries and ultimately more beneficial to national rights holders in the Caribbean.

8. Question:
How could we as a region leverage our IP administration capabilities as a region, as diverse as we are, to maximize the potential benefits both for users and rights holders in the region?

9. Suggestion/Idea Collaboration:
Regional collaboration would provide a comprehensive region-wide solution for the management of rights to the benefit of all the countries concerned
With the support of IFRRO and WIPO, the Caribbean Reprographic Project (CRP) was established

10. Caribbean Reprographic Project
2005: Ocho Rios Consultation
Agreement to collaborate in the relevant functions required, on behalf of rightsholders in the area of reprography
Regional Steering Committee established
Action Plan formulated
2006: Trinidad Consultation
Reaffirmation of objectives
Areas of cooperation
WIPO Regional Meeting of Heads of Intellectual Property of Caribbean Countries –
WIPO Regional Ministerial Level Meeting on Intellectual Property for Caribbean Countries - Endorsement of CRP

11. Proposed Caribbean Model
The regional collaboration model comprises:
3 nationals RROs in Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados
a sub regional RRO for the OECS countries
a regional RRO to perform agreed collaborative functions for economies of scale, greater reach, impact, visibility, effectiveness and, ultimately, sustainability

12. Progress 3 National RROs: 1 OECS Sub-regional RRO – ECCLA
Jamaica (JAMCOPY)
Trinidad & Tobago (TTRRO)
Barbados (BCOPY)
1 OECS Sub-regional RRO – ECCLA
Antigua & Barbuda
Dominica
Grenada
St. Lucia
St. Kitts
St. Vincent

13. Administration
JAMCOPY to perform specific services for
BCOPY
ECCLA

14. Next Steps - Advancing the Caribbean Reprographic Project
2008 Montego Bay Consultation – November 1

15. Thank you for your attention