Nearly 170 academics warn against ancillary copyright for press publishers  25/04/2018 by Tom Hirche

Another open letter calling for the deletion of Art. 11 of the proposed DSM directive has been sent out to the members of the European Parliament today. It was signed by not less than 169 scholars (and counting) from all over Europe of whom 100 are full professors.

The signees are experts in intellectual property, internet law, human rights law and journalism studies and they unanimously oppose the proposed ancillary copyright for press publishers. It would inter alia impede the free flow of information, create broad right of ownership in news and other information that will greatly increase transaction costs, and harm journalists, photographers, citizen journalists and many other non-institutional creators and producers of news. They concisely explain their position while pulling the initial EC proposal and Axel Voss's proposed compromise amendments to pieces.

The timing could not be better. Today, rapporteur Axel Voss is discussing the legal committee's opinion on Art. 11 with the other groups' shadow rapporteurs. Hopefully they hear the warnings and react appropriately by burrying the link tax once and for all.

You can read the full letter here.

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