EMMA and ENPA condemn Google’s announcement on French publishers’ right implementation

EMMA and ENPA strongly condemn Google’s announcement yesterday with the unilateral decision to disrespect European legislation and future French legislation by not paying for news snippets in France. Before its entry into force in October, Google is already taking advantage of its unprecedented market power to put pressure on publishers in order for them to renounce their legal rights.

EMMA and ENPA fully stand by our colleagues from the Alliance de la Presse d’Information Générale (their statement and an informal English translation are also attached).

We condemn such a decision which goes against the intentions of the European and the French legislators and represents a clear defiance of the European     press sector. This decision will have repercussions all over Europe and the French case is the continuation of the combat of European publishers.

It is clear that Google is using its market power to endanger journalism. Under the pretence to act in line with the law, Google is in fact restricting free access to information, endangering press diversity, and is circumventing publishers and journalists out of the remuneration they are entitled to by pressuring them into grant free licenses. We will consider possible formal and legal steps to stop this misuse of Google’s market dominant position.

Contact

Konteas Ilias

Executive Director

+32 (0)2 536 06 03

Ilias.Konteas@magazinemedia.eu

• EMMA

  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.

  https://www.magazinemedia.eu
• ENPA

  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.

  https://www.enpa.eu