INTERVIEW WITH MEP RUTH HIERONYMI : ONLINE COPYRIGHT: 'I INVITE THE SECTOR TO FIND A SOLUTION URGENTLY'.
A member of the European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education, Ruth Hieronymi (EPP-ED, Germany) was the rapporteur on the revised Television Without Frontiers Directive. She comments on the debate over copyrights in the digital environment, relaunched with the online content' communication, on the initiative of Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding.
Do we need a directive on online content (films, music, video games, etc)?
Online content does not know any borders and is increasing. We will have problems if we do not act. Who will be responsible? Member state A or B? But it is extremely difficult to act because national legislations on copyrights are different. That's why the Commission's approach is perhaps the right one: publish a very broad communication, followed by a public consultation, creating an online content' platform. Now, I am asking the sector to participate in this consultation.
Can they be mixed?
I am convinced that it will be very hard to find adequate solutions, and harder still for all the sectors in a single framework. That is why I feel that the Commission's two-phase approach is the right one (communication and consultation). On this basis, we need a recommendation, which will also be difficult to draft. We still cannot say if the recommendation will be sufficient or if we will need an additional directive. It is also too early to say that we must separate the sectors.
What strategy do you recommend to the European Parliament?
I am not convinced that we must prepare a report now. If you respect the consultation, you must integrate the results. We are going to discuss it within the Culture Committee. Perhaps it would be better for it to accompany this consultation. It will end on 29 February, then perhaps we can organise a public hearing to give the sector another opportunity to express itself and to give Parliament more information.
The EP is already demanding a directive on online music...
The recommendation on online music depends on the Commission's DG Internal Market. The result is that we have no solution. The Parliament is asking for a directive to show the points we are opposed to in the content of this recommendation. Because it does not respect the sector's positions. It only respects internal market issues and not cultural diversity. The result is that the smallest member states have no chance to keep their online music repertoire.
Has this debate moved forward?
No, because there is no...
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