Following on from the recent announcement regarding high demand for opt-out services and signs of strain for the UPC Case Management System (CMS) reported here, the UPC administrative authority has now announced further restrictions aimed at securing and maintaining essential access. This includes restricting some non-essential functions of the CMS, such as temporarily discontinuing access for public APIs, potentially giving rise to uncertainty for some users as the sunrise period comes to an end.
Since WP Thompson does not use a public API, the further restrictions do not impede WP Thompson’s ability to file opt-out requests, and we are continuing to successfully file and secure opt-outs for our clients. In addition, reassurances have been given by the UPC administrative authority that any opt-out requests successfully filed before the expiry of the sunrise period will be actioned before the UPC Agreement enters into force, although there is the potential for further access restrictions to be enacted to ensure that this may be achieved.
Any rights not opted out prior to the 1st June 2023 (the critical deadline for submitting an opt-out request being 4:00 p.m. (CET) on 30th May 2023) are, of course, at risk of having actions brought against them centrally before the new UPC, leaving them at the mercy of an untested court, with the potential for far-reaching consequences. Rights holders are therefore again encouraged to consider their own portfolios and to provide instructions on any desired opt-out requests as a matter of urgency.
If you require any further information regarding the UPC or the opt-out process, or if you would like us to register any opt-out requests, please do not hesitate to contact us at upcoptout@wpt.co.uk or via your usual WP Thompson contact.