After years of promise, today saw the launch of proposals for copyright reform in Europe. Despite much talk of the need for modernisation of the rules to reflect the new possibilities and expectations created by digital technologies, what has been published will make only limited progress towards this goal.
IFLA President Donna Scheeder commented:
„Today’s proposals on European Copyright Reform are disappointing to say the least. It appears that policy makers were more concerned with making concessions to one or two particular industries than they were with fostering the public good. MEPs and Member States should show leadership where the Commission has fallen short, and give libraries the opportunity they need to help citizens put knowledge to work and to build a more creative, innovative and so stronger Europe.“
In their current form, the proposals risk representing not only a disservice to libraries and their users, but also setting an unhelpful precedent internationally.
You can read more in the press release signed by IFLA, EBLIDA, Europeana, LIBER and Public Libraries 2020, and find out what libraries and cultural heritage institutions are asking for in the joint position paper.
Quelle: http://www.ifla.org/node/10866
Siehe auch die Eblida: http://www.eblida.org/news/european-copyright-proposals-libraries-and-cultural-heritage-institutions-respond.html