EU governments on Monday backed the move launched by the
European Commission two years ago to protect Europe's creative
industries, which employ 11.7 million people in the bloc.
"When it comes to completing Europe's digital single market, the
copyright reform is the missing piece of the puzzle," the
Commission's president Jean-Claude Juncker said in a statement.
Under the new rules, Google and other online platforms will have
to sign licensing agreements with musicians, performers,
authors, news publishers and journalists to use their work.
The European Parliament gave a green light last month to a
proposal that has pitted Europe's creative industry against tech
companies, internet activists and consumer groups.
Wikipedia blacked out several European sites in protest last
month, while the change was opposed by Finland, Italy,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden.
But 19 countries, including France and Germany, endorsed the
revamp, while Belgium, Estonia and Slovenia abstained.
Under the new regime Google-owned YouTube, Facebook's Instagram
and other sharing platforms will have to install filters to
prevent users from uploading copyrighted materials.
Google said the new rules would hurt Europe's creative and
digital economies, while critics said it would hit cash-strapped
smaller companies rather than the tech giants.
Poland said the overhaul was a step backwards as the filter
requirement may lay the foundation for censorship.
EU lawmaker for the European Pirate Party Julia Reda, who had
campaigned against the reforms, said critics could take their
case to court but it would be slow and difficult and that the
best thing would be to monitor fair implementation.
The European Magazine Media Association, the European Newspaper
Publishers’ Association, the European Publishers Council, News
Media Europe and independent music labels lobbying group Impala
welcomed the move.
EU countries have two years to transpose the copyright directive
into national laws.
(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; editing by Philip Blenkinsop and
Alexander Smith)
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