Press Release
Magazines Ireland and its colleagues in the European Magazine Media Association (EMMA) welcome the fact that the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Council called for the introduction of an exclusive right for press publishers in EU copyright law last Friday 25 May 2018.
Although the original proposal from of the European Commission offers more clarity and legal certainty, the Council resolution of today is a decisive step in the right direction.
Magazines Ireland Chairman, Ciaran Casey commented, “We are pleased with the progress being made on this directive which aims at improving magazine publishers’ bargaining position in the negotiations of licence agreements and protecting the unauthorised reproduction and distribution of our publications in the digital world”.
As a next step, the European Parliament must finalise its position, before the European Commission, the Council and the European Parliament can start the tripartite negotiations on the legislative proposal. The rapporteur in the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, MEP Axel Voss, has already put forward a sensible balanced proposal for a Publisher’s Right. We remain confident that policy makers will continue showing support for an exclusive right to underpin investment in the free and democratic European press.
Ends
Magazines Ireland is the association of Irish magazine publishers and represents 39 Irish publishers who together produce over 185 magazines, both consumer and business to business titles in print and digital.
Grace Aungier, Magazines Ireland, Tel 01 667 55 79 grace@magazinesireland.ie www.magazinesireland.ie
EMMA, the European Magazine Media Association, is the unique and complete representation of Europe’s magazine media, which is today enjoyed by millions of consumers on various platforms. EMMA represents 15,000 publishing houses, publishing 50,000 magazine titles across Europe in print and digital.
Joy de Looz-Corswarem European Magazine Media Association (EMMA) Tel: +32 2 536 06 04 Joy.deloozc@magazinemedia.eu www.magazinemedia.eu
