Extended:EU Parliament Adopts Reda Report on Copyright Reform

The European Parliament during its last plenary meeting before the summer break today adopted a non-legislative report on copyright reform prepared by Pirate Party Member Julia Reda. The report calls for an adaptation of the EU 2001 Copyright Directive to the digital market.


The majority of the European Parliament voted in favour of a reduction of geoblocking measures, Reda noted after the vote, particularly to allow cultural minorities to access content in their language online. It also favours enhancing portability rules that would allow users to transport content from one device to another and asks the EU legislature to consider new exceptions for libraries and scientists, for example in allowing e-lending.


The Parliament voted down a much-debated amendment that could have restricted the right to make and use panorama pictures of public monuments. Also voted down was an amendment for an ancillary copyright for press publishers introduced by German conservative Members of Parliament who wanted to mirror what has been called the German “Google-law” on the EU level. According to this legislation, press publishers have the right to ask for compensation for longer snippets from their news content, published by the Google news website for example.


The draft proposal will be prepared by the EU Commission for the end of the year.