GESAC welcomes EP vote that improves Reda Report
GESAC Press Release
EP acknowledges the importance of authors’ rights in the digital era for strong and sustainable CCI
09/07/2015 – Today in Strasbourg, the JURI Committee report evaluating the InfoSoc Directive (2001/29/EC) was adopted by the European Parliament (EP). The European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers (GESAC) takes note of the result, and warmly congratulates the European Parliament for acknowledging its concerns on the welfare of authors and the need for caution in reforming copyright.
The version of the report initially voted by the JURI Committee on 16 June was a collective work to find a more balanced and fairer assessment of the current situation, based on a biased and adverse draft report by Pirate MEP Reda. GESAC wishes to thank the many MEPs who invested time and energy in this report, and showed a strong commitment to recognise what is at stake.
GESAC welcomes the clear rejection by the European Parliament of the policy lines put forward by MEP Reda in her initial draft report, and in particular her will to introduce a broad and mandatory panorama exception throughout Europe. GESAC applauds the deletion of any reference to the panorama exception which does not need any further action at EU level, and on which misleading information was widely spread.
Although far from perfect, this initiative report with no binding effect, rightly underlines the key role of cultural and creative industries (CCI), the 3rd biggest employer in the EU, generating over 4.2% of EU GDP.
The report also rightly asks for a clarification of the legal status and liability of service providers and intermediaries as regards copyright. Véronique Desbrosses, General Manager of GESAC welcomed this will to “rebalance the transfer of value from the online services that reap massive benefits by providing cultural content without fair remuneration for creators”. She also said that “GESAC is happy to cooperate with all EU institutions to achieve a true modernisation of authors’ rights in the digital economy” ahead of the expected legislative proposal by the European Commission by the end of this year.
