Statement by Axel VOSS (EPP,DE), rapporteur on the Copyright directive during the plenary session (2-5 July 2018) in Strasbourg.

digital single market (T)

statement

Strasbourg

copyright law (T)

VOSS, Axel (EPP, DE)

Copyright directive: statement by Axel VOSS (EPP,DE), rapporteur

SOUNDBITE (German), Axel VOSS (EPP, DE), (Why is the reform of the copyright directive important) We have at the moment an extreme imbalance in the whole copyright system, on the platforms everything is up loaded, but there is no remuneration of the concerned author, this is getting more by number and that is why I think it is urgently necessary to adapt the copyright to the digital environment.

SOUNDBITE (German), Axel VOSS (EPP, DE), (On upload filter and do we need to fear censorship) This 'nice' fake news campaign that is done by the big platforms, with key words such as 'censor machine' or upload filter, etc so that everybody jumps up without ever having done a reflection on our classification we established here. If you really look at it, it only concerns platforms, 1 to 5 per cent at all from the global internet and also only those that actually publish copyright protected content, by the clicks they earn money without dripping a single contribution. That we try now is to establish a recognition software for copyright protected content.

SOUNDBITE (German), Axel VOSS (EPP, DE), (His reaction on the letter of several MEPs criticising the directive) To 99,9 per cent do I assume that they have not once read article 2 and article 13 together. Then I have to say if you don&rsquo;t pay attention to what we do here, then I have to declare it as nonsense. When you take a look at what we try to achieve, to apply after all copyright, if we want to abandon this or if the German colleagues want to abandon this all, so they need to say s, but only to harp on about it, because it is now &lsquo;en vogue&rsquo; to use that word, this I think is wrong.

SOUNDBITE (German), Axel VOSS (EPP, DE), (On neighbouring rights) Neighbouring rights should in principle support the press work, the work of journalists is in a certain way accompanied, so to say the analogue platform for their content; it is legally and factual secured and there is an economical responsibility. This now completely put into question, due to the fact that there are platforms that use simply the achievements of the publisher without paying anything. And by this the whole press system in a democratic structure becomes dependent from platforms. This is something we don&rsquo;t want to accept this. Therefore we need to ask ourselves the question if we want an independent press in our democratic society, also financially independent and does it represent a value. And if we believe in this value we should look into ensuring it.

SOUNDBITE (German), Axel VOSS (EPP, DE), (On the question: Can somebody still give links to interesting articles?) Everybody that wants to create link for a private purpose can continue to do so, this part we excluded precisely, but those who gain again money through this, by a commercial use, they should ask if they can do it or not. I don&rsquo;t understand the whole excitement, this is common and part of our value and justice system and to transfer it to the internet and to get this impression that nothing is allowed now, no single person won&rsquo;t be touched by this. The contrary, we will make it possible that each one can up load content, can use it without being in a legal obligation and this reform brings this positive aspect.