< strong > MiCultura

Representatives of nine corporate unions and of the seven collective management entities authorized to operate in Panama met with the Minister of Culture, Giselle González Villarrué, with a view to establishing a dialogue to strengthen the relationship that these sectors have and that is vital to the recognition of the right of creators.

Minister González Villarrué called on the sectors to work as a team and asked them "to discuss and analyse the law as a whole and to know their concerns for a better contribution."

For his part, Eric Velasco, national director of copyright at MiCultura, said that "this meeting is very important, because it's the first time that collective management agencies have been concurrently authorized by the Panamanian state to operate and manage copyright and related rights with the commercial sector of the country, which are precisely users."

He added that "the Ministry of Culture, through the national management of copyright, seeks to establish ways to improve this relationship, which is crucial for the recognition of rights, both copyright and related law holders."

The meeting was attended by representatives of Panama's Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture, Panama's Association of Hotels, Panama's Association of Business Centres, Panama's Association of Adzo Games Administrators and the National House of Tourism.

Panama, Panama's Association of Private Hospitals, Panama's Association of Restaurants and Stages and Panama's Ibero-American Association.

Representatives of collective management agencies were also represented: SEA Panama, Panamanian Society of Authors and Composers, Panamanian Society of Founding Producers, Panamanian Society of Artists, Interpreters and Executives, Association of Audiovisual Interpreting Rights of Panama, Audiovisual Producer Law Management Entity, Writer's, Writer's, Writer's, Dramaturgos and Audiovisual Directors.