EU art levy threatens ‘catastrophe’

The British art market faces a “potential catastrophe” if plans to extend a European Union levy on artists’ resale rights, known as droit de suite, go ahead, a report has warned.

UK: Intellectural Property Office: Press Release, 2.4.08: Artists resales rights http://www.ipo.gov.uk/press/press-release/press-release-2008/press-release-20080402b.htm

IPO: A study into the effect on the UK art market of the introduction of the artist’s resale right http://www.ipo.gov.uk/study-droitdesuite.pdf

Wikipedia: Droit de suite http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resale_right

European Commission: DG Internal Market and Services: Protection of rights: Copyright: Resale right http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/copyright/resale-right/resale-right_en.htm

United Kingdom: Intellectual Property Office: Press Release, 19.12.08: UK seeks two year extension on artist's resale right http://www.ipo.gov.uk/about/press/press-release/press-release-2008/press-release-20081219.htm

---