Introduction[]
The Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel (CARP) was the system involved in making decisions regarding copyright royalties from 1998-2004.
Panel Function[]
Proposed by the Register of Copyrights, the system was authorized to appoint and organize copyright arbitration royalty panels. The primary purpose of the panel was to make decisions involving the adjustment of copyright royalty rates as well as the terms and payments of royalties that fall under copyright law.
When determining the reasonable royalty rates, the Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panel attempted to make the creative works accessible to the public, to grant the copyright holder a fair reward for their work, and to minimize any disruptive effects on the industries involved or associated with the copyright holder and user. Additionally, decisions were made concerning the adjustment of the copyright royalty rates by this group.
Distribution Reform Act of 2004[]
CARP was phased out and replaced by the three Copyright Royalty Judges (CRJ) as a result of the Distribution Reform Act of 2004.