One of the things we do not do is pay enough attention to IP developments in other countries. The Economist has a piece entitled "Sharing the wealth; Artists do battle to enrich their heirs link here." The story brings up a subject new probably to most Americans. The operative paragraph is, "For the past two years 4% of the price of a work by a living artist sold through an auction house or by a dealer has been payable to the artist. Sales of less than €1,000 (£796) are exempt, and the tax is capped for anything worth €500,000 or more. Throughout the European Union the tax is payable on sales of works by living artists or those who have died within 70 years; in Britain it is only works by living artists that qualify. The EU allowed Britain this exemption until 2012..... Damien Hirst, Britain's most commercially successful artist, [and] more than 500 signed a letter to the Telegraph urging the government to give them that right. 'Our loved ones often sacrifice a lot to support an artist in the family," [so that] Hirst and his colleagues would like to make sure it is not extended.'" That is a rich extension of copyright with no obvious benefit to society like encouraging innovation.

The Economist notes that the change will have an adverse effects on the British art market and then goes on to note that the gains are collected by only a relative few. "The artist's resale right (ARR) benefits a far smaller proportion of artists than its supporters might assume. A study sponsored by the Antiques Trade Gazette showed that, in the 18 months to August 2007, 10% of the 1,104 artists benefiting from ARR in Britain (around half of whom are British) got 80% of the pot; the bottom 30% received less than £100 each. The royalty has also proved cumbersome and costly to collect.

Mr Bennett

I am a Australian artist ,very much apposed to the concept of ARR- it is economically harmful to living artists and morally wrong. Little more than compulsory make work scheme for the collective managements that endlessly lobby for it.

You might like to read our post on Jeremy Philips 1709 blog http://the1709blog.blogspot.com/2010/12/artist-resale-royalty-harmonisation-and.html

John R Walker Australia