The European Parliament has approved the fiercely-contested Reform of copyright law in the EU. The plenary agreed on Tuesday in Strasbourg for a compromise, the negotiators of the Parliament and the EU member States previously had agreed. It is the goal of copyright in the EU in the age of the Internet. Google, YouTube and co. will be obliged to remove content for which you have received from the authors, no license.

Except for companies that have been in existence for less than three years, whose annual turnover is less than ten million euros and their users is a number under five million per month.

For this compromise, however, voted in the European Parliament, 348 Deputy, 274 voted in. Even in the morning, supporters and opponents of the Reform had delivered a fierce word battles. Especially representatives from the Left and Greens brought forward a number of Amendments, which should prevent the particularly controversial introduction of a so-called upload filters.

critics fear that such a Filter, remove the non-approved content will automatically lead to censorship and the freedom of the Internet are at risk. A small majority of the deputies refused, however, about these Amendments.

questions and answers on the EU copyright reform: What was the vote?

With the Reform of the EU is to adapt copyright to the digital age. After year long negotiations, EU Ministers of States and Parliament in February on a compromise text for the “Directive on copyright in the digital single market”. Content should not be displayed, therefore, without the consent of the copyright in principle in the network.

writers, authors, and musicians should be better involved in the Proceeds of her works in the data network. For the media, there is a private performance right. Offerings such as Google News, or Facebook to be made to remuneration for the article and the content of Newspapers, magazines, news to pay agencies, or other media.

What providers are affected?

especially Internet giants like Google with its Video platform, YouTube or networks like Facebook should be brought to arts and media professionals to be remunerated for their works better. Startups are the exception. This applies for firms that are younger than three years old, has an annual turnover of ten million euros and less than five million visitors per month.

What inflamed the criticism?

The main criticism of the previous “article 13” of the Directive, its provisions are to be found, in the meantime, however, in article 17. Therefore, the platform operator must prevent copyrighted works are on their sides, and in the case of violations to be liable.

The Reform does not prescribe the controversial upload filter. Given the data volumes you are likely to be more or less inevitable. You should copyright block-protected text, images, or audio files during the Upload. Some platforms already use now Filter, would have to expand considerably.

Is the free and open Internet in danger?

critics see in the Filters at the beginning of the end of a free Internet, and warn of censorship. Because they fear that the Filter could also block perfectly legal content. “The accusation that this is sometimes legitimate content to filter out, may be entitled to,” admits the EU Parliament. Therefore, make a Complaint are provided, with which users seem to could really fight back made deletions or bans.

What is with Memes and GIFs?

A satirical and creative engagement with texts, images, and audio files according to critics, – for example, in the case of Internet Memes, in which the network changed the content of satirical and widely used would be disabled. The EU-Parliament, EU member States would be obliged by the Reform, to protect the free Upload “of Parts of the works to the Quote, to the Expression of criticism, for reviews, for caricatures, parodies or Pastiches”. This includes Memes, and moving images in GIF Format.

when will the Reform go into effect?

The Directive must be transposed by EU countries into national law. For two years – until 2021. (Dec/sda)

Created: 26.03.2019, 12:59 PM