MODERNISATION OF EU COPYRIGHT? THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT REFUSED THE LEGISLATION PACKAGE

The European Commission’s proposal to reform the EU copyright regime was surprisingly refused by the European Parliament (EP) in July 2018, therefore, the package is subject to further debate before the plenary of the EP.

The aim of the legislative package presented by the European Commission was to modernise the EU copyright rules. Such package includes a new directive on copyright in the digital single market. On one hand, the proposal seeks to ensure a fair remuneration of journalists, publishers and rightholders for the online use of their works by the implementation of content monitoring measures on online platforms that would allow the rightholders to control the use of their work on the internet, and by the creation of a new right that would allow press publishers to receive remuneration for the online use of their work.

On the other hand, the legislative package had been strongly debated and it has divided the academics and stakeholders due to the perceived “link tax” and the risk of filtering and controlling the content of the internet.

The proposal was approved by the European Council and also by the Legal Affairs Committee. However, the European Parliament has refused the Committee’s position, which means that the Plenary of the Parliament will vote on the changes on 12 September 2018.