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News July 6, 2018

European Parliament rejects essential copyright reform, sends it back for more discussion until September

Staff Writer
European Parliament rejects essential copyright reform, sends it back for more discussion until September

In a bitter blow to the creative community and its supporters, the European Parliament voted to reject sweeping and essential copyright reform.

Instead, it has sent it back for further discussion until September for a second try.

The vote was close (318 against, 278 for, 31 abstentions) rejecting an earlier committee decision to approve the draft law, known as the Copyright Directive.

This means another two months of bitter feuding between the music industry angered over the “value gap” and tech giants as Google, Facebook and YouTube who argue that any kind of restrictions will constrict creativity.

As reported in TMN yesterday, 1,300 musicians and songwriters – including a last-minute public letter from Sir Paul McCartney – lobbied parliament with videos, statements and public appearances.

German MEP Axel Voss, who has fought for copyright law change, summed it up to his parliamentary colleagues before the vote: “the exploitation of artists on the internet” versus “huge profits at the cost of creatives.”

Two key provisions for the reform were deemed controversial – and expensive for the tech companies.

Article 11 was a “link tax” that would force sites as Facebook and Google to pay news organisations before linking to their stories.

Article 13, proposed an “upload filter” that forced sites to check that all uploaded material not infringe copyright.

Campaigners working against these, like MEP Julia Reda of the European Pirate Party, dismissed them as “unworkable” and a petition dramatically dubbed Save Your Internet drew 700,000 signatures.

Those against reform celebrated after the vote: “The European Parliament has today heard the voice of European citizens and voted against proposals that would have dealt a hammer blow to the open internet in Europe.”

Europe’s Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music (SACEM) called the vote a “set-back, but it is not the end.”

Its secretary general David El Sayegh stated: “We will not be discouraged by today’s decision and will continue to mobilise the support of musicians and music lovers across the world, in the hopes of reaching a fair agreement with these platforms that will safeguard the future of the music industry.”

Helen Smith, IMPALA executive chair, figures the creatives will get their day in September. “The result underlines that although many parliamentarians were satisfied, others were simply not ready to decide.”

Geoff Taylor, chief executive BPI & BRIT Awards, said: “We respect the decision by MEPs to have a plenary discussion on the draft Copyright Directive.

“We will work with MEPs over the next weeks to explain how the proposed Directive will benefit not just European creativity, but also internet users and the technology sector.”

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