CRUCIAL EU COPYRIGHT REFORM OBSTRUCTED BY EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

In Strasbourg yesterday 5 July 2018, MEPs voted to obstruct a crucial EU Copyright Reform from progressing to the final legislative stage.

Chairman of Magazines Ireland, Ciaran Casey said, “We are very disappointed with the vote but we will fight on and ask MEPs to do the right thing when it comes to Plenary in September. Four European Parliament committees have already scrutinised, clarified, amended and approved the EU Copyright Reform over the past two years and, unfortunately now 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.

Grace Aungier, CEO, Magazines Ireland said, “We encourage the MEPs to think about the impact their next decision will have on our free press, 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 start-ups across Europe who have even greater challenges than large publishing groups when attempting to exercise their rights against US corporations.

Magazines Ireland is the association of Irish magazine publishers and represents 39 Irish publishers who together produce over 185 magazine brands, both consumer and business to business titles in print and digital.                                                                                                                                               

Grace Aungier, Magazines Ireland, Tel  01 667 55 79 grace@magazinesireland.ie  www.magazinesireland.ie