Europe’s leading Newspaper and Magazine Publishers’ Associations EMMA, ENPA, EPC and NME welcome the European Commission’s launch today, 23 March, of a public consultation “on the role of publishers in the copyright value chain”. This consultation is an important step at a time when the role and the value of the press needs more than ever to be recognized in a global digital and media environment.
“European Newspapers and Magazines are world leaders in enabling, financing, creating and distributing a plurality of high quality journalistic media in all printed and digital formats”, said the organizations in Brussels today, “In order to maintain this important precondition for any democratic and free society in the digital age, publishers need finally to be included in the long- existing catalogue of rightsholders under EU-copyright law.”
These rights are nothing new, having long been granted to broadcasters, film and music producers. They include the classic rights of reproduction, distribution and communication to the public of the work. These rights would have no impact neither on contractual relationships between publishers and journalists, nor on the existing provisions in law dealing with the transfer of rights in certain Member States. These rights would not prejudice specific legal provisions in different Member States, such as in Spain or Germany.
Our readers would continue to enjoy the possibility to link and share articles, complying with normal copyright rules. Beneficiaries of any legal exemptions would also be able to use protected materials for citation, illustration, scientific research, private use etc. The balance between different stakeholders would thus be preserved.
