EDRI - EU Copyright directive

ENDitorial: Lessons from the failure of Licences for Europe

bogdan — Wed, 04 Dec 2013 18:35:52 +0000

Now that the Licences for Europe has failed so comprehensively, it is time to reflect on what types of voluntary or self-regulatory initiatives are likely to work and which are likely to fail.

Last May, at the Stockholm Internet Forum, EDRi ran an “unconference” session, which brainstormed about what characteristics a self-regulatory initiative would need to have in order to be likely to succeed. Participants produced eight criteria. To avoid failures or counterproductive outcomes of such projects in the future, it would be valuable for the Commission to develop a comprehensive methodology for analysing the context and potential for success.

European Parliament draft report on private copy levies – serious or satire?

joe — Mon, 04 Nov 2013 09:03:22 +0000

French Socialist MEP Françoise Castex published her draft report on private copying levies on 9 October. The biggest question that the document raises is... are you serious, Ms Castex?

The policy issue being addressed is that “creators” are meant to be “compensated” for private copies that are made of legally acquired content, such as music or printed material. In some EU countries, there are no levies, in some EU countries there are low levels of levies.

Closed environments locking down consumers’ rights

bogdan — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 18:10:12 +0000

This article is also available in:
Deutsch: Geschlossene Systeme sabotieren Rechte der Verbraucher

Can you resell your used apps for your iOS or Android device? How about your video games that you purchased from Valve’s Steam Store?

The answer is yes and no. Legally, you are allowed to resell your used apps and Steam games if they were marketed in the EU.

Online piracy is not to be blamed for the drop in music revenues

bogdan — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 19:05:25 +0000

This article is also available in:
Deutsch: Online-Piraterie nicht schuld an rückläufigen Musikumsätzen

As continuously argued by different IT specialists, digital freedom activists and organisations during the last few years, online piracy does not affect music industry revenues, as it is shown by a new research performed by The Institute for Prospective Technological Studies which is part of European Commission’s Joint Research Centre.

After having examined the browsing habits of 16 000 Europeans, the researchers found there is actually a positive relationship between online piracy and visits to legal music s

European copyright scholars: hyperlinking is not public communication

bogdan — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 18:02:46 +0000

The Swedish Court of Appeal has referred to ECJ (European Court of Justice) a case involving the question of whether publishing a hyperlink to content can be considered a communication to the public and, implicitly, a breach of the creator’s copyright (in case the hyperlink is published without the author’s consent), under the European law.

The case in question is that of Svensson, a Swedish journalist who wrote an article published by a Swedish newspaper both in print and on the newspaper’s website and who claimed that Retriever Sverige AB, a subscription service providing links to articles that can be found online, had made links to his article available to the public, without his permission, and, therefore, for this he should be compensated.

But Retriever refused

Spanish Supreme Court says Google is not breaching copyright

bogdan — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 18:39:00 +0000

This article is also available in:
Deutsch: Spanien: Google verstößt nicht gegen Urheberrecht

The Spanish Supreme Court ruled on 3 April 2012 that Google was not in breach of copyright with its browser and cache services.

ENDitorial: About copyright reform

bogdan — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 19:46:59 +0000

This article is also available in:
Deutsch: ENDitorial: Zur Urheberrechtsreform

EDRi presentation to ALDE Group Meeting on 7 March 2012

In this short presentation, I will briefly address two points. Firstly, the need to soberly assess the very difficult position we currently find ourselves in and, secondly, the dangers of failing to learn from past mistakes and endangering the openness of the Internet - its core asset that gives it the societal and economic benefits that we all now take for granted.

According to Commissioner Neelie Kroes, "citizens increasingly hear the word copyright and hate what is behind it.

UK Court of Appeal stands behind the Digital Economy Act

bogdan — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 19:35:12 +0000

This article is also available in:
Deutsch: Britisches Berufungsgericht bestätigt Digital Economy Act

The Court of Appeal has recently rejected the claims made by the two UK ISPs, BT and TalkTalk, that the Digital Economy Act (DEA) violates EU laws.

DEA requires ISPs to send warning letters to widespread file-sharers advising them that complaints have been made against them, and to provide lists of alleged infringements to music and film companies.

The ISPs brought the issue to the court arguing that DEA breached EU laws on data protection and privacy by restricting the customers' basic rights, was incompatible with provisions set out in the E-Com

The plans to bring ACTA back to life

joe — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 14:36:19 +0000

Dieser Artikel auf Deutsch

Cet article en français

Introduction

Following the initial discussions in the European Parliament and the overwhelmingly negative workshop that was held on 1 March, ACTA is close to dead in Europe. What are the strategies for bringing it back to life and how will this impact on other similar initiatives? How can activists ensure that our great success so far can be maintained?

EC "Roadmap" for review of the IPR Enforcement Directive

bogdan — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:55:15 +0000

This article is also available in:
Deutsch: Roadmap der Kommission für die Überprüfung der Urheberrechtsrichtli...

The European Commission recently published a "roadmap" to the review of the Directive on Intellectual Property Enforcement (2004/48/EC). As it is becoming traditional, the Commission neatly mixes up all kinds of infringements, from dangerous fake medicines to illegal downloads and seeks a "one size fits all" solution.