UK Copyright - exceptions which prove the rule?

Dear Reader

So the Government's decided to fill Christmas stockings with its response to its consultation on copyright exceptions. It would herald major changes to UK copyright law. Copyright has always been about the balance between rights and exceptions. But the big question is whether these proposals have got it right or do they threaten to undermine some emerging digital content business models?

That's a question I'll try and answer in upcoming posts. But, in the meanwhile, here's a quote from the IPO's Response, published yesterday. It also needs to be read in conjunction with its Impact Assessments on these proposed measures.

In the meanwhile, enjoy the festive break and let me wish you and my other readers a very happy holiday season and a healthy, prosperous and creative year ahead. It's going to be a busy one.

So here's the Government's own summary - their words, not mine:

Permitted act	What will the Government do?
Private copying	Introduce a narrow private copying exception, allowing  copying of content lawfully owned by an individual (such as a CD) to another  medium or device owned by that individual (such as a mobile phone, MP3 player or private online storage), strictly for their own personal use.
Education	Introduce a fair dealing exception for non-commercial  use of copyright materials in teaching. Expand the type and extent of copyright works that can be copied by educational establishments. Expand the exceptions to enable distance learners to access educational materials over secure networks. Retain existing licensing arrangements for recording broadcasts and photocopying.
Quotation	Introduce an exception permitting fair dealing with quotations, as long as sources are identified.
Text and Data mining	Create a copyright exception to cover text and data  analytics for non-commercial research within certain restricted limits, which  will protect publishers from large-scale copyright infringement.
Parody	Introduce a fair dealing exception to allow limited copying for parody, caricature and pastiche, while maintaining current system of moral rights.
Research and private study	Change the scope of copyright law to allow copying of  all types of copyright works for non-commercial research purposes and private  study. Introduce an exception to allow educational institutions, libraries, archives and museums to offer access to all types of copyright works on the premises by electronic means at dedicated terminals for research and private   study.
Disabilities	Broaden the scope of the current disability copyright exceptions to include all relevant types of disability and copyright work, and simplifying the processes and procedures related to these exceptions.
Preservation	Enable libraries, archives, museums and galleries to make preservation copies of all classes of work.
Public Admin. and reporting	Amend the current copyright exception for public administration and reporting to permit the publication of relevant third-party documents   online.
Other permitted acts	Current position to be maintained.