European Commission reveals plans on copyright reform
Full EFJ joint statement with European authors’ group on EU copyright reform plans
The European Commission has today published a proposal for the review of the current EU copyright law detailing its action plans for the coming years in the area of copyright and authors’ rights related issues.
The (pictured from the left to right) EU Commissioner of Digital Economy and Society Gunther Oettinger, Vice – President of Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip and EU Commissioner of Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Vera Jourova adress a joint press conference on the subject of a Creating Digital Single Market at the EU headquarters in Brussels on December 9, 2015.
Among others, the Commission communication points in particular at the need for fair remuneration of authors and performers, “who can be particularly affected by differences in bargaining power when licensing or transferring their rights”. It refers to current mechanisms which authors and performers raised in this context including the regulation of certain contractual practices, unwaivable remuneration rights, collective bargaining and collective management of rights.
The Commission says it will consider whether solutions at EU level are required to increase legal certainty, transparency and balance in the system that governs the remuneration of authors and performers in the EU, taking national competences into account.
The EFJ welcomes the recognition of the unfair contractual practices facing journalists and many authors as well as performers. In a joint statement with a group of European authors’ organisations, the EFJ calls upon the EU Commission to act to ensure at EU level a better protection of authors against unfair contracts.
For more information, please visit: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-6261_en.htm
Picture: JOHN THYS / AFP
