On 9 June 2015, the European Parliament adopted the own-initiative report by German Greens/European Free Alliance MEP Julia Reda (Pirate Party) on the implementation of Directive 2001/29/EC (the InfoSoc Directive) of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 May 2001. The report will feed into upcoming proposals by the European Commission to update current legislation.
The InfoSoc directive aimed at harmonizing certain aspects of the copyright and at responding to the challenges that emerged with technological developments. But in the past thirteen years, technology change dramatically, which demanded from EU legislators to rethink the system of rights, limitations to rights and enforcement. Thus, in late 2014, the EC put forward a public consultation on the review of the EU copyright rules.
Following the consultation, Reda’s drafted report was presented in January 2015 and caused strong reactions from politicians and stakeholders alike. The rapporteur, Julia Reda, is a member of the Pirate Party, a party founded on the ideal of promoting copyright reforms and neutral network infrastructure. Organizations such as Society of Audiovisual Artists and the European Coalitions for Cultural Diversity called the draft-report extreme and inconsequential. Among supporters of the report were CAE member organization EBLIDA is the European Bureau of Library, Information and Documentation Associations. S&D shadow rapporteur Mary Honeyball (UK) called for “lot of amendments and a lot further consideration” as did EPP shadow rapporteur Therese Comodini Cachia (Malta). When adopted by the European Parliament Legal Affairs (JURI) Committee on 16 June, the report had more than 550 proposed amendments.
Among the most contested issues addresses on the report Geo-blocking, Freedom of panorama, and exception and limitations, including for the lending of e-books.
CAE will continue following the implementation oft this report and contributing its expertise in key areas.
You can read the European Parliament press release here.
