How the BCC Operates
Introduction
The British Copyright Council is a not for profit company limited by guarantee. It is a membership organisation and its members represent individuals and companies all right holders or rights managers, from creators, authors and performers to publishers and producers. Its members include many of the UK’s collecting societies as well as those representing other groups of managers and agents.
Following incorporation in June 2007, the Council’s structure and operations are governed by its Constitution [See 'Constitution' page].
Activities
The British Copyright Council’s key activities are:
- Prepare consultation responses and other policy papers and make representations to the European Commission, WIPO, and the UK Government on legislative changes and other proposals and developments affecting creators, performers and other right holders;
- Organise the annual BCC/WIPO Training Course for government officials from developing countries and, where resources permit, arrange other training events and educational activities;
- Identify areas of common interest between members of the British Copyright Council and right holders not represented by the Council.
Board
The Board of the British Copyright Council is made up of nine Directors, including the Chairman and the Treasurer. Four other individuals participate in Board discussions but do not vote and do not hold Directorial responsibilities. They are the President of Honour, two Vice Presidents and the Chief Executive Officer who is also the Company Secretary.
See the 'Board' page for a list of the current Directors.
General Rules governing directorships
Eligibility, election and retirement of Directors is in line with the Articles of Association which aims to balance the interests represented by the Council. Candidates for all but two of the directorships must be:
- A representative of a member organisation within the Council;
- Nominated by members representing those involved with categories of works specified in (a) to (h) of Article 8.1 of the Constitution; or comply with the conditions of Article 8.4;
- Nominated in writing by a member as a candidate for election;
- Be nominated by the deadline.
Candidates for the role of Chairman (Article 8.1(f)) and candidates elected under Article 8.4 (casual vacancy/additional director) need not be a representative of a member organisation. The Chairman of the Board is also the Chairman of the Council. One Director is the Treasurer (Article 8.1(e)).
Directorships are subject to re-election. The Presidency and Vice-Presidencies (Article 17) are held for life or until the individuals concerned wish to retire. The CEO, who is also the Company Secretary, is the only paid position.
The election of Directors is by Ordinary Resolution. 21 days is the minimum notice of a Resolution appointing a person as a Director (Article 5.1). Nominations must be notified to the Secretary well in advance of the 21 days to allow time for preparation of papers and official notices.
Meetings
The Council holds six meetings a year, normally in January, March, June, September and November. All members are entitled to send a representative to general meetings. Each member has one vote irrespective of the organisation’s size. Decisions are made by a majority vote of those present and entitled to vote.
The Council’s position on matters relating to public affairs is normally developed through correspondence, or in working groups and not at its general meetings, though most of the business discussed at its meetings is devoted to current issues and consultations. As policy papers and submissions prepared by the Council are based on consensus, it is rare that such matters are voted on at its meetings.
Member organisations may nominate up to three individuals to represent them at meetings though only one representative may attend the meeting. No member may be represented at a general meeting by more than one person unless the consent of the Board has been obtained in advance.
The business conducted at general meetings is to:-
- appoint Directors
- appoint Auditors
- Receive and approve accounts, including the setting of the subscriptions to be paid by members
- Discuss reports from the Board and the committees
- Consider and determine any issue which in the opinion of the members in general meeting constitutes an important matter of policy.
Each member of the Council may at any time request the Council to examine a matter of concern to its members. Any such request must be submitted to the Secretary who will refer it to the appropriate working group or include it on the agenda for the next general meeting.
Board Meetings
The Board of the British Copyright Council meets as and when necessary. Board Meetings normally take place six times a year.
Joint Consultative Meetings with the IPO
A joint meeting with the IP and Enforcement Directorate of the UK Intellectual Property Office normally takes place twice a year, normally in March and September. IPO provides an update on their work. The BCC normally gives a short presentation on a subject of interest followed by a debate. The meetings provide a useful exchange of information and expertise and help to build a better understanding between members and officials.
Communication with members
Nominated representatives and Senior Managers of member organisations receive BCC e-notices and mailings, including its monthly member only e-newsletter. As well as official notices and other topics of interest, the newsletter includes draft submissions and information about the latest consultations.
Committees
The BCC’s committee structure is flexible, changing as new issues come to the fore. Committees are set up as Board sub-committees, as and when the need arises. Membership of committees is open to all members but normally includes two representatives from each of the key groupings represented within the Council. Individual members with specialist knowledge and in some cases outside specialists may be co-opted onto a Committee. The aim is to ensure that the workload of the Council is spread across the membership and to ensure that the widest possible range of right holder interests and views are represented. Member organisations may nominate an alternate to attend in the place of the main committee representative when necessary.
The Chairman and other Directors along with the President of Honour, Vice Presidents and Secretary may attend Committee meetings as ex-officio members.
Working Group on Copyright and Technology
Meetings of the Working Group are hosted by the law firm Bird & Bird.
Documents produced by or originating within the Committee can be found on the policy pages of this website.
| Chairman: | Andrew Yeates, British Equity Collecting Society, Educational Recording Agency, Periodical Publishers’ Association |
| Secretary: | Trevor Cook, British Computer Society |
| Members: | Maureen Duffy, President of Honour, British Copyright Council Geoffrey Adams, Vice President, British Copyright Council Professor Adrian Sterling, President of Honour, British Copyright Council Janet Ibbotson, Chief Executive Officer, British Copyright Council Derek Brazell, Association of Illustrators Richard Combes, Authors Licensing & Collecting Society Kiaron Whitehead, BPI Rachel Burnett, British Computer Society Digby Rumsey, Broadcast, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union Kenneth Brookes, Chartered Institute of Journalists Martin Delaney, Copyright Licensing Agency John Robinson, Design & Artists’ Copyright Society Horace Trubridge, Musicians' Union Frances Lowe, PRS for Music Peter Leathem, PPL Hugh Jones, Publishers Association Kate Pool, Society of Authors Florian Koempel, UK Music Bernie Corbett, Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Professor Alison Firth |
| Alternative: |
Professor. Uma Suthersanen, British Computer Society John Smith, Musicians’ Union Debbie Stones, PRS for Music Dominic McGonigal, Phonographic Performance Limited |
