Brussels — European Member States agreed today on a mandate to negotiate with the European Parliament on the proposed Directive for copyright in the digital single market. The adopted text will cause irreparable damages to Europe’s fundamental rights, economy, competitiveness, education, research, innovation and creativity.
Despite overwhelming evidence that the creation of a neighbouring right for press publishers would impede the free flow of information and would exacerbate existing power asymmetries in media markets (see here a warning from 169 European Academics), Member States have introduced a right for press publishers covering all but the smallest words, tantamount to a right in news itself.
Despite strong opposition from human rights and digital rights organisations, libraries, scientific and research institutions, universities, start-ups and technology companies from all across the EU (see here), Member States are requiring the implementation of filters for content uploaded by Internet users on an extremely broad range of online services. These provisions will impose broad private censorship upon European citizens and strongly undermine the e-Commerce Directive, legal cornerstone of the European digital sector.
The Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) has long warned that the outcome of this copyright reform might be the end of the Internet as users currently know it. The following can be attributed to CCIA Senior Policy Manager, Maud Sacquet:
“The Council’s position will hurt European fundamental rights, economy, competitiveness, innovation and creativity. We urge the European Parliament to defend European citizens and businesses by opposing the introduction of upload filters and the exclusive rights for press publishers.”
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