European Commission proposal to modernize EU copyright rules
IT&Telecom companies have responded to the consultation.
The development of digital technologies has changed the way works and other protected works are created, produced, distributed and used. New uses have emerged, as have new actors and new business models. In the digital environment, cross-border use has also intensified and new opportunities have emerged for consumers to access copyrighted content. While the objectives and principles of the EU copyright framework remain fundamentally sound, there is a need to adapt them to these new realities. Action at EU level is also needed to avoid fragmentation of the Single Market.
Against this background, the Digital Single Market Strategy1 adopted in May 2015 identified the need to reduce differences between national copyright regimes and to enable users to access works online more widely across the EU. The Communication highlighted the importance of improving cross-border access to copyright-protected content services, facilitating new uses in research and education and clarifying the role of online services in the distribution of works and other subject matter. In December 2015, the Commission issued a Communication 'Towards a more modern and European copyright framework'2 , which set out targeted actions and a long-term vision for modernizing EU copyright rules. This proposal is one of the actions aimed at addressing specific issues raised in the Communication.