Guest lecture by Olaf Zimmermann

The controversial second reform stage of the new copyright law came into force at the beginning of 2008. According to the legislator, the Copyright Basket II balances the interests of authors in the protection and utilisation of their property with the interests of consumers, science and the equipment industry. Many legal experts and those affected, on the other hand, believe that the new legislation tightens the legal situation and could significantly hinder information and communication processes. In his lecture, Olaf Zimmermann, who headed the "Art and Culture" working group of the "Information Society" forum set up by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology from 1998 to 2002 and was a member of various enquiry commissions of the German Bundestag, will discuss the possible effects of the second law regulating copyright in the information society.

Vita Olaf Zimmermann

Olaf Zimmermann (*1961) has been Managing Director of the German Cultural Council for ten years. From 1998 to 2002, he headed the "Art and Culture" working group of the "Information Society" forum set up by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. He was also a member of various commissions of enquiry of the German Bundestag: 1998-2002 "The Future of Civic Engagement", since 2002 "Culture in Germany". Olaf Zimmermann is a board member of the Initiative Hören e.V. and publishes the German Cultural Council's newspaper "politik und kultur". His publications focus on issues such as cultural policy, cultural organisations in Germany and cultural education in the knowledge society.