Along with the removal of 90% of duties on local products and saving exporters an estimated $100 million, the recently announced NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement will extend the copyright term for sound recordings (along with authors, performers and producers) in NZ to 70 years – finally bringing the country into line with international norms and with the European Union as a trading partner.

Recording artists and right holders in Aotearoa currently have copyright protection over their recordings for only 50 years from the date of release, fully two decades less than every other OECD country. The NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement will see that extended to 70 years, so bringing NZ into line with international norms and with the European Union as a trading partner. The overdue copyright correction has been a bartering pawn discounted in previous free trade agreement talks.
 
Recorded Music NZ CEO Jo Oliver says that extending the copyright term is a welcome outcome for everyone that supports Aotearoa’s music industry.
 
“Copyright enables artists to make a living from their work and is fundamental to the sustainability and future growth of the music industry in Aotearoa. Extending the copyright term to 70 years from the date of release puts NZ artists and right holders on a level playing field with their overseas counterparts. 
 
“This long-overdue change will help preserve and protect iconic recordings from Aotearoa, and support the NZ artists that created them.”
 
The trade deal is estimated to be worth $1.8 billion annually to NZ, when it is fully rolled out by 2035. The Government is expected to sign the agreement next year and NZ will then have four years to implement these changes to the Copyright Act 1994.