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On 18 April 2007, a copyright handling model for digitalised works was agreed by EU High Level Expert Group on Digital Libraries including major stakeholders such as the Federation of European Publishers, the British Library, the German national library and Google.

The High Level Expert Group, founded in 2006 by Viviane Reding, the Commissioner for Information Society and Media, advises the Commission on issues regarding digitisation, online accessibility and digital preservation of cultural material. This action is part of the European Digital Library initiative adopted by the European Commission in June 2005 in order to preserve European cultural and scientific heritage making them available online in closed networks.

In February 2007, the Commission adopted a Communication on "Scientific Information in the Digital Age: Access, Dissemination and Preservation" to examine and support new ways of promoting better access to scientific information online and to preserve research results digitally for future generations.

"Protection of intellectual property is important to stimulate creativity and innovation in the knowledge-based economy. Solving copyright issues in an online-environment is therefore crucial if we are to make the vision of a European Digital Library a reality", said Reding.

The model recommended by the group covers for the time being orphan works (works with no identified right holders) and out-of-print works (no longer for sale) but leaves room for further coverage of commercial publications.

As regards the orphan works, the group suggested non-legislative solutions like databases dedicated to information on orphan works, embedding better rightsholder data in digital material, and negotiating better contracts between stakeholders. It has also reviewed several legislative proposals to determining when the search for the owner of an orphaned work is diligent.

Regarding the out-of-print works, the Group suggest a four-phase solution that is based on a model licence (presented in an Annex to the report), establishment of a database of such works, a joint clearance centre and a procedure to clear rights.

According to this solution, the rights-holders can license their works to a library, which further on digitalises them making them available to other users such as museums, universities, other libraries or home PCs. The licensed library will be responsible for collecting the money from the users and for paying the right holder.

The exact level of payment did not make the object of the deal but according to some sources a likely cost could be close to 1 euro per each use of a work. However, the amount would depend on negotiations of the individual licenses.

Report on Digital Preservation, Orphan Works and Out-of-Print Works, Selected Implementation Issues (18.04.2007)
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroom/cf/document.cfm?actio...

Copyright deal clears way for European Digital Library (19.04.2007)
http://euobserver.com/9/23894/?rk=1

EU Copyright Group Seeks Solutions to Digitisation Roadblocks (20.04.2007)
http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/index.php?p=591&res=1280_ff&pri...

Europe's Digital Library experts set to focus on copyright today (18.04.2007)
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/508&...

i2010: Digital Libraries Initiative - Europe's Cultural and Scientific Heritage at a Click of a Mouse
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/digital_libraries/i...