European Journalists Call for Photographers to Boycott Peter Gabriel Tour Over "Incoherent" Contract

The European Federation of Journalists, the regional group of the International Federation of Journalists, is calling on photographers to boycott the tour by Peter Gabriel over plans by the tour management to grab control of their work. The concert tour management Peter Gabriel Ltd gives photographers permission to take photographs provided that they sign a very restrictive contract, which the EFJ describes as "greedy, incoherent and outside international law".

The contract allows pictures to be taken only from narrowly defined perspectives, gives photographers permission to use pictures once and in one media only and provides for the transfer of all authors' rights to the tour management for unlimited use (both as regards geography and time), whilst the liability for these pictures remain with the photographers.

"The contract reflects a greedy mentality, it is completely incoherent and outside international law", says Aidan White, General Secretary of the EFJ. "It contains provisions which clearly contradict European copyright legislation and the International Berne Convention for the protection of literary and artistic works, thus challenging the long stated rule according to which the creator of a work shall remain the author. The defence and enhancement of the established and traditional intellectual property rights of creators must be strongly respected".

The tour started on 26 April in Hamburg and will continue over the next few weeks in the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, France, Switzerland, England, Poland and Spain. The EFJ joins protests from its European affiliates and ask photographers who intend to cover the Peter Gabriel's tour not to take any pictures until this contract is withdrawn.

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The EFJ represents more than 200,000 journalists in Europe