INTERVIEW WITH VERONIQUE DESBROSSES, SECRETARY-GENERAL, GESAC : PRIVATE COPYING: 'WE EXPECT A LOT FROM THIS DIALOGUE'.

After a two-year interruption, the dialogue between national copyright collection societies and the industry on the touchy issue of levies for private copying is about to get off the ground again (1). This system exists in around 20 member states. The long-awaited dialogue will be moderated by former Commissioner Antonio Vitorino, who will have the challenging task of working out a compromise between the parties on ways of improving the working of national private copying levy systems in the Union, particularly as regards payment methods and system management. The Commission will then present a legislative text.

Veronique Desbrosses, secretary-general of the European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers (GESAC), discusses with Europolitics information society the expectations of rights holders and the main issues that will be discussed.

What do you expect of the upcoming dialogue on private copying that will be moderated by Antonio Vitorino?

The discussions have been on hold since the industry broke off the dialogue in 2010 and this situation is not conducive to progress. There have been developments. The EU Court of Justice has handed down important decisions, including the Padawan and Opus judgements, but nothing is moving forward. So we expect a lot from this dialogue, which we think is promising. We have no preconceptions as to its arrangements. Mr Vitorino is expected to present his work very soon and we are confident. There are many subjects to be addressed and I think that it will be up to him to sort them out, to see what is important and what is less important.

How do you approach the negotiations with industry?

We cannot prejudge the position industry will take. So far, it has not been very constructive. In the past, we advanced whenever we worked on technical subjects, but there was political resistance when it came time to adopt decisions. So the more the debate is focused on technical matters, the greater the chances of reaching an agreement. It remains to be seen whether the industry wants to progress, whether it wishes to improve the working of compensation systems for private copying in the internal market, whether it wants to see principles applied in all the member states to improve transparency and foreseeability. On the contrary, if the industry continues to try to weaken payment systems, we are obviously going to have a hard time in our discussions. We will not give in on this issue.

Will consumers take part...