Press releases
PUBLISHERS CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR PRESS FREEDOM, PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISM AND A THRIVING INTERNET
Today in Strasbourg, MEPs voted to obstruct a crucial EU Copyright Reform from progressing to the final legislative stage, succumbing to an intense lobby of manipulative anti-copyright campaigners, US internet giants and vested interests who benefit from stealing and monetising publishers’ valuable content.
A spokesman for Europe’s publishers EMMA, ENPA, EPC and NME said: “We will fight on, and ask MEPs to do the right thing when it comes to Plenary. However, it is disgraceful that a handful of powerful vested interests can get away with using misleading scare tactics and exaggerated false claims (that they know to be untrue) to interfere with the democratic process. Four European Parliament committees have scrutinised, clarified, amended and approved the EU Copyright Reform over the past two years and, today, those efforts to create a fairer, more sustainable digital ecosystem for the benefit of creators, distributors and consumers have been jeopardised.”
MEPs will now be asked to make further amendments to the report that was approved in JURI (Legal Affairs Committee) on 20 June. The amended report will be presented in Plenary in September for the full Parliament to vote on again.
The publishers continued: “Ardent copyright campaigners and those who benefit from free-riding on publishers’ and other creators’ content will no doubt be lobbying for the total deletion of the proposed Publisher’s neighbouring Right (Article 11). MEPs asked to reconsider the proposal need to think about the impact their next decision will have on our free press and on the future of professional journalism - and what message they want to communicate to the world about democracy and fairness in Europe.”
The Publishers’ right:
gives publishers the legal standing already enjoyed by music, film and broadcasters which the press needs to assert its copyright online
encourages companies that wish to re-use and monetise publishers’ content to negotiate licences
excludes individuals from the scope of the right - their right to share links will remain untouched
entitles journalists to a fair share of any additional licence revenue granted by the Right
specifically excludes hyperlinks from the scope of protection
is essential for small newspapers and magazines with their numerous journalistic digital startups across Europe who have even greater challenges than large publishing groups when attempting to exercise their rights against US corporations.
For further information, please contact:
Joy de Looz-Corswarem – EMMA – Joy.deloozc@magazinemedia.eu
Joy de Looz-Corswarem – ENPA – Joy.deloozc@enpa.eu
Angela Mills Wade – EPC – Angela.Mills-Wade@epceurope.eu
Wout van Wijk – NME – wout.vanwijk@newsmediaeurope.eu
The European Magazine Media Association, is the unique and complete representation of Europe’s magazine media, which is today enjoyed by millions of consumers on various platforms, encompassing both paper and digital formats.
The European Newspaper Publishers’ Association (ENPA) is the largest representative body of newspaper publishers across Europe. ENPA advocates for 14 national associations across 14 European countries, and is a principal interlocutor to the EU institutions and a key driver of media policy debates in the European Union.
