Copyright protection, licensing disputes and the misuse of artificial intelligence are among the issues being taken up at the first Morocco-US summit on intellectual property in the creative industries, which opened in Casablanca on Thursday.
The two-day gathering has brought together more than 130 Moroccan entrepreneurs and business leaders working in music, film, video games, publishing and the visual arts, along with around 20 Moroccan and American experts.
Organized by the US Mission in Morocco and the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication in partnership with the American Cultural Association (ACA), the summit is examining how creators can protect their work and turn it into viable businesses.
US Consul General in Casablanca Christopher Deutsch said stronger intellectual property protection could help Moroccan entrepreneurs expand their businesses, attract investment and reach international markets.
“Strong intellectual property protection allows creative talent to be turned into lasting economic value,” he told participants.
Deutsch said the gathering could open up new commercial opportunities for businesses in both countries.
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Mohamed Benyaacoub, secretary-general of the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, said cultural and creative industries had the potential to generate jobs and provide opportunities for emerging talent.
Protecting intellectual property rights, he said, was essential to ensuring that creators received recognition for their work and that investors had greater confidence in cultural businesses.
He also pointed to the longstanding exchanges of goods, services and culture between Morocco and the United States.
The discussions will continue on Friday at the American Arts Center in Casablanca, where participants will attend practical workshops, panel discussions and individual legal consultations.
Sessions will examine licensing arrangements, the commercial use of creative content and the protection available through institutions including Morocco’s copyright body BMDAV, the Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property (OMPIC) and the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
The program will also address copyright questions specific to video games, music, cinema, publishing and the visual arts, including the unauthorized use of creative works through artificial intelligence.
Other discussions will cover access to the US music market, contracts, professional collaborations and legal disputes, as well as questions of authenticity and ownership arising from generative AI.
Representatives of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) are attending alongside US intellectual property officials and international legal specialists.
The summit is due to close with a roundtable bringing Moroccan and American creators together to draw up recommendations for public policy.
