European Commissioner Michel Barnier (Internal Market and Services, responsible for intellectual property) announced on January 28 that the European Commission will present new plans to modernize copyright legislation in the EC this spring.

During a meeting of the music industry in Cannes, Barnier said that the relations between artists, their organizations and users of copyrighted works need to be revised. According to him, the system of organisations that collectively collect royalties does the sector no good. The rights are too fragmented between publishers, artists, producers and composers or authors. The system is complex and non-transperent, Barnier said.

The Commission will come with new legislation to make things simpler and more transparent so that owners can rely on their income and everyone has free access to the market. The latter is particularly important to accommodate for the development of new online services, said the Commissioner.

Barnier also invites the entertainment industry to think about the online distribution of audiovisual work. There will be a Green Paper on the subject matter and the Commission will organize consultations with all interested parties. The EC needs input on services such as delayed viewing, video streaming and programs that allow limited time to download after a broadcast, in order to draft sensible proposals for regulation.

To be continued this spring.

Source: Spreekbuis.nl (Dutch)