Richard Hooper has announced that he has written to stakeholders in the Cultural and Creative Industries seeking ‘hard evidence’ in support of the Feasibility Study he is carrying out into a Digital Copyright Exchange (DCE) for the UK.

The first phase of the study, announced in November 2011, will examine the findings and recommendations of the earlier Hargreaves Review. As part of this process, Hooper has been tasked by Business Secretary Vince Cable with clarifying the respective roles of rightsholders, publishers and other IP stakeholders.

The second phase will recommend solutions to the issues raised in the first – solutions which are likely to include a recommendation for a Digital Copyright Exchange to act as a ‘clearing house’ for rights exchange (originally mooted in the Hargreaves Report).

The deadline for submissions of evidence is the 10th February 2012, and further information and details of how to respond can be found at http://www.ipo.gov.uk/about/press/press-release/press-release-2012/press-release-20120104.htm.