European Commission copyright consultation

European Commission copyright consultation Introduction, timeline, and table of contents
Access to online services


Advocacy - Index

Background

Current Proposals

The European Commission is considering modernizing European copyright laws. To get feedback and input on this modernization, the Commission published a series of questions, and asked organizations (like ours) to answer them. This was an important opportunity to influence EU copyright laws, and therefore an important opportunity for us to influence the future of the free knowledge movement. More background is available from the European Commission.

Submission

We submitted our finalized answers to the European Commission on March 4th, 2014. Thank you to everyone who participated!

 
Finalized answers, in PDF form

If you're interested in participating in future discussions of copyright reform and Wikimedia, please join the conversation on the AdvocacyAdvisors mailing list.

Questions answered

I. Rights and the functioning of the Single Market

A. Why is it not possible to access many online content services from anywhere in Europe?
B. Is there a need for more clarity as regards the scope of what needs to be authorised (or not) in digital transmissions?
1. The act of "making available"
2. Two rights involved in a single act of exploitation
3. Linking and browsing
4. Download to own digital content
C. Registration of works and other subject matter – is it a good idea?
D. How to improve the use and interoperability of identifiers
E. Term of protection – is it appropriate?

II. Limitations and exceptions in the Single Market

A. Access to content in libraries and archives
1. Preservation and archiving
2. Off-premises access to library collections
3. E – lending
4. Mass digitisation
B. Teaching
C. Research
D. Disabilities
E. Text and data mining
F. User-generated content

III. Private copying and reprography

IV. Fair remuneration of authors and performers

V. Respect for rights

VI. A single EU Copyright Title

VII. Other issues

Guides from other sources

Some other open culture/digital rights organizations also posted guides advising on how to respond. For reference:

Past Timeline

  • February 7, 2014: Finish Foundation text proposals, circulate for community comment/refinement.
  • February 21, 2014: Finalize for submission.
  • March 5, 2014: Submission deadline.