The European Parliament has today voted against proposed copyright rules which would have protected and supported the rights of individual creators.
Disappointingly MEPs voting in the European Parliament’s plenary did not endorse the report put forward by the Legal Affairs’ Committee on the Copyright Directive in the Digital Single Market. The report contained essential provisions in Articles 13 to 16 which would protect and support the rights of individual creators in the digital market to ensure they were fairly rewarded for the use of their work online.
The members of the European Parliament were put under considerable pressure in recent weeks from an intense and aggressive lobbying campaign led by the digital and tech giants who oppose the copyright directive. It was a closely-run thing with a total of 318 voting against the committee’s proposals, 278 voting in favour and 31 abstained. This was despite considerable effort by creative individuals and organisations representing creators, who argued the case to MEPs for the need to achieve a fair balance between the interests of creative individuals and the platforms and services that use their works: without which creators cannot sustain careers and create the works that drive the digital economy.
The outcome of today’s vote delays the next stage of the directive, meaning the European Parliament will spend more time deliberating on the proposals before it is put to another Plenary vote in September.
Directors UK CEO Andrew Chowns commented: “It’s a setback, but not the end of the road and we will keep working with our colleagues in FERA and SAA and all the other creative organisations over the next few months to get our message across. Fair remuneration for Directors is absolutely vital and we will keep on working for it.”
We will continue to lobby on behalf of creators for a fair and sustainable internet for creators and users alike.
Read the press release form SAA in response to the vote.
Join the thousands of other creators who have signed the online petition and show your support for fair remuneration online for audiovisual authors. Sign the petition here.
Have Your Say
Join the discussion on Facebook