Kategorie Europe

As a partner of a great coalition we have signed an open letter to members of the European Commission responsible for the digital single market. We demand "an ambitious reform that is fit for purpose in the digital environment and that upholds and strengthens fundamental principles such as the limitation of intermediaries’ liability, rights of citizens to freedom of communication and access to knowledge." Weiter

Today, the European Commission has launched its public consultation on the role of publishers in the copyright value chain and on the 'panorama exception'. Everybody is welcomed to take the online survey. Although it is only available in English, French and German you can reply in any EU language.

The survey contains 16 questions on the role of publishers. Primarily, the Commission wants to know if a neighbouring right for publishers would have a positive or negative impact on publishers itself as well as on authors, researchers, online service providers and end-users. Interestingly, the questionnaire distinguishes between a neighbouring right covering publishers in all sectors and one limited to press publishers. Question No. 15 addresses everyone living in a Member State that already has passed an ancillary copyright for publishers asking what impact this right has had on the person questioned. It surely would be interesting to hear which box German press publishers check here...

The consultation period will run until 15th June 2016. Initially, the copyright reform was announced to come in September 2016.  It can be doubted that Commissioner Günther Oettinger will meet this deadline; the analysis will certainly take some time and the final draft should consider all opinions submitted.

The Commission is asking for it, so go tell them what you think of an ancillary copyright for (press) publishers!

A cross-party coalition formed by over 80 MEPs has written an Open Letter to President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, to European Commissioner for Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip as well as to European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society Günther Oettinger. They are "deeply concerned about the Commission's Communication 'Towards a modern, more European copyright framework'". Weiter

In late September, the EU Commission has initiated its public consultation on online platforms. To encourage everybody to speak his/her mind, there now is (another) online tool that facilitates the process of submitting your opinion to the Commission. Weiter

Several Open Letters have reached the EU Commissioners while they conduct their public consultation on the role of online platforms. The most recent originates from a group of various European publishers who speak out against an ancillary copyright for press publishers. Weiter

As part of a large coalition we have co-signed two open letters addressed to the European Commission as well as the European Parliament informing them about our concerns regarding the Commission's approach on copyright affairs. Weiter

Today, the European Parliament voted on MEP Julia Reda's report on the implementation of Directive 2001/29/EC (InfoSoc). The results were clear.

The plenary adopted the report with a broad majority (445/549). Now the upcoming copyright reform by Digital Commissioner Günther Oettinger cannnot only focus on cross-border trade but also on reforming exceptions to copyright protection. Furthermore, the amendment tabled by Angelika Niebler (EPP) was rejected! She - backed by 81 other MEPs - tried to insert text into the report calling for the introduction of an EU-wide ancillary copyright for press publishers. Fourtunately, the effort was shut down with 379 votes against. Although 142 MEPs demonstrated that they still have not understood the pure nonsense of such an ancillary copyright, the vote is another victory on keeping the right to link.

Or als Julia Reda puts it:

This should be the final blow to the idea of introducing at the European level a law to cross-finance news publishers which has already failed spectacularly in Germany and Spain.

We can only hope that she is right. As the report is non-binding and Oettinger has not come to a final conclusion, an ancillary copyright for press publishers is still not off the cards. The fight is not over yet!

Yesterday, the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament voted on the Report on the Copyright Directive by MEP Julia Reda. It was adopted with a broad majority: 23 votes in favour, only 2 against (Front National) and no abstention. Weiter

On 16th June 2015, the European Parliament's legal affairs committee will vote on the report on the review of EU copyright rules. The report's author, MEP Julia Reda, calls on everybody to support her (good) work. Weiter

An international network of organizations launches campaign to safeguard the Right To Link

Legislators in European Parliament and Commission are considering updates to copyright proposals that would censor links for Internet users

May 6, 2015 –A large network of over 50 organizations from 21 countries is coming together to “Save The Link”. Today, the network is launching a multilingual international campaign aimed at pushing back against efforts by powerful media conglomerates to censor links and stifle free expression on the Internet. One of the proposals being advanced could make users personally liable for the content of websites they link to online. Weiter

The Lisbon Council and Innovation Economics have published the "2015 Intellectual Property and Economic Growth Index: Measuring the Impact of Exceptions and Limitations in Copyright on Growth, Jobs and Prosperity". The report was written by Benjamin Gibert, non-resident fellow at the Lisbon Council. Weiter

Günther Oettinger, the European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, had a talk with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (F.A.Z.) about his approach on reforming European copyright. Among numerous other things, Oettinger also commented on an ancillary copyright for press publishers in the EU. Weiter

Last week, several signatories sent an open letter to the coordinator of the Working Group on Intellectual Property Rights and Copyright Reform at the European Parliament Jean-Marie Cavada. It calls for an inclusion of the civil society in the process to ensure a balanced representation of views. Weiter

In her article published on The Digital Post, Caroline de Cock, Coordinator of the Copyright4Creativity (C4C) Coalition, claims that now is the time to fix European copyright law. And she is right. Weiter

We are very excited to announce that IGEL is now a member of Copyright for Creativity (C4C). We are very happy to team up with this pan-European coalition of NGOs including  European Digital Rights (EDRi), Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF),  European Bureau of Library, Information, and Documentation Associations (EBLIDA) and many more groups and associations (see the full list of supporters here) working all together to promote a responsible and sustainable European copyright law for the digital age. Recent developments in Spain and discussions in other European Member States have raised concern that the ancillary copyright for press publishers might spread in Europe or even be introduced as a pan-European regulation. By partnering up with the C4C multi-stakeholder network we hope to raise more awareness and build a stronger resistance against such dangerous development for the digital world.