ACT welcomes Commission’s communication on content

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Brussels, 19 December 2012 – The ACT yesterday welcomed the European Commission’s Communication on “Content in the Digital Single Market”.

The Commission has announced a structured dialogue with stakeholders covering four issues –cross-border access and the portability of services; user-generated content and licensing; facilitating the deposit and online accessibility of films in the EU; and promoting efficient text and data mining for scientific research purposes.

In parallel, the on-going review of the EU legal framework for copyright will be completed, based on market studies, impact assessment and legal drafting work, with a view to a decision in 2014 on whether to table proposals for legislative reform.

Commenting on the announcement, ACT director-general Ross Biggam said:
“We agree with the precise and detailed approach set out in the Communication, and the need for evidence-based policy making. The more granular and detailed the debate the better. Far too often we hear unsubstantiated statements from outside the content industry that copyright is a barrier to digital innovation, and that content owners are failing to take full advantage of the rapidly emerging digital market-place.

We are confident that a complete and independent examination of the EU audio-visual market will demonstrate the opposite: that greater control over the distribution of content is a driver, not barrier, for a strong European presence in the digital future; and that European broadcasters are enthusiastically embracing online distribution with literally hundreds of new digital services now available online to consumers across the EU“.