Current status: FINAL VOTE UPCOMING
- ProposalThe European Commission proposed a legal initiativeSeptember 2016
- Committee positionThe appropriate committee of the Parliament adopted a positionJune 20, 2018
- Plenary positionThe Parliament adopted its position, making changes to the one suggested by its committeeSeptember 12, 2018
- TrilogueClosed-door compromise negotiations between Parliament, Council and the CommissionOct 2018 – Feb 2019
- Plenary voteThe Parliament passes the end resultMarch or April 2019
- Full title:
- Copyright in the Digital Single Market
- Official info pages:
- Eur-Lex · Parliament · Commission
- Type:
- Directive (to be implemented into national law by Member States)
- EP Committee:
- Legal Affairs (JURI)
- EP Rapporteur:
- MEP Axel Voss (replacing Therese Comodini Cachia since summer 2017) (EPP, Germany)
- My role:
- Shadow rapporteur for the Greens/EFA group
3 minute summary
- A proposal to reform EU copyright was presented by Günther Oettinger shortly before leaving his post as Digital Commissioner.
- The proposals would limit our ability to actively participate online to benefit the business models of media conglomerates: Upload filters on internet platforms, a “link tax” for news content and a narrow exception for text and data mining would curtail how we can share links, upload media and work with data.
- EU member state governments approved the plans (with slight changes) in the Council. In a surprise upset, the Parliament first refused to rubber-stamp the law, but later endorsed it with only cosmetic changes.
- Final Trilogue compromise negotiations resulted in a text that upholds upload filters and the “link tax” with only ineffective safeguards.
- Next, the Parliament will need to approve or reject the result in a final vote.
What’s being debated
Article 11: Extra copyright for news sites
Article 13: Upload filters
Article 3: Text and Data Mining exception limited in scope
Source texts:
European Commission: Legal proposal
European Council: Position on legal proposal (member state governments)
European Parliament: Opinions by the Internal Market, Industry, Culture and Civil Liberties Committees
European Parliament: Legal Affairs Committee (leading): Draft Report, over 1000 proposed amendments, Adopted Committee position
European Parliament: Position on legal proposal (right column)
Trilogue (Commission, Council & Parliament): Final consensus
Criticism summarised
[The Copyright Directive is] on the verge of causing irreparable damage to our fundamental rights and freedoms, our economy and competitiveness, our education and research, our innovation and competition, our creativity and our culture.
– Over 80 signatories representing human and digital rights organisations, media freedom organisations, publishers, journalists, libraries, scientific and research institutions, educational institutions including universities, creator representatives, consumers, software developers, start-ups, technology businesses and Internet service providers
The [law] is failing its stated goals … The legislative drafts […] respond in effect to the agenda of powerful corporate interests … It will not serve the public interest
– Independent legal, economic and social scientists from leading research centres across Europe
It does not happen often that there is wide scientific consensus on a contested policy issue. This is such a case, and policy makers need to take note.
– Independent scientists from leading research centres across Europe
We are concerned that these provisions will create burdensome and harmful restrictions on access to scientific research and data, as well as on the fundamental rights of freedom of information. […] a significant threat to an informed and literate society
– Large group of European academic, library, education, research and digital rights communities, including the European University Association and the International Federation of Library Associations
This [law] will lead to excessive filtering and deletion of content and limit the freedom to impart information on the one hand, and the freedom to receive information on the other.
– 57 signatories representing fundamental rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch and Reporters without Borders
The reform may thwart development of modern solutions in education, creativity, commerce, media or healthcare
– A Future Not Made in the EU – Centrum Cyfrowe think tank
For more, see the individual topic pages.
Timetable
| February 26, 2019 | JURI Committee | Vote to approve Trilogue outcome |
| Late March or early/mid April 2019 | EU Parliament | Final vote to approve law |
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