‘Copyright for Creativity' declaration calls for a balanced European copyright

Yesterday, several European social, creative and educational organizations and technology companies issued a declaration calling for a European copyright law that equally balances the right to protect creation through the granting of exclusive rights, with legal exceptions to that protection. Among the signatories of "Copyright for Creativity" are several European consumers, libraries and research institutions.

Exclusive rights stimulate investment and production of cultural goods and knowledge related goods, states the declaration. Simultaneously, exceptions to those rights create a balanced system that allows for the use of creative works to support innovation, creation, competition and the public interest.

Especially with the current focus on enforcement of copyright (probably referring to the ACTA), the signatories find it important to get attention for the to the necessary exceptions to copyright. The signatories of the ‘Copyright for Creativity' declaration need these exceptions to be able to keep on innovating, making creative reuse and continue to build on the work of others.

One of the spearheads of the declaration is the desire for a harmonized European system of legal exceptions to copyright.

The "Copyright for Creativity' declaration follows the ‘Copyright in the Knowledge Economy’ Green Paper from the European Commission and has received support from members of the European Parliament. 

7 May 2010