News

On 17 December, the European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee will vote on an opinion on private copying levies, also known as private copying remuneration (PCR). Ahead of this vote, authorsocieties.eu is writing a series of posts called ‘PCR matters’ that explains why you should care about private copying levies. This week we explain you how copyright levies benefit consumers.

Click below to read the news and views of GESAC’s France-based society, SACEM. This time, the newsletter focuses on:

Summary

Echos: Private Copy, Training for creators, Distribution on 4 October, Three questions for François Besson, Director of cultural action, The long-winded story of Buffet-Crampon.
France Créative: 1.2 million jobs: industries with weight.
Portrait: Angelique Kidjo, the flame of Africa

Sacem’s members newsletter – 2013 October/December

We wrote recently about the outcome of the Licences for Europe exercise of the Commission that sought to identify practical solutions to making more content accessible online across EU member states. The Commission has now just launched a consultation on copyright reform which is seeking the views of all stakeholders with an interest in copyright issues. The consultation will close on 5 February 2014.

This consultation will give the opportunity to GESAC, the organisation behind this website, to re-iterate how crucial it is to have a solid European framework to improve the worryingly precarious conditions of authors online. Beyond the interests of authors, what is at stake is the preservation of cultural diversity and the development of the entire European cultural and creative sector. The recent studies released by the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights show the significance of the sector for employment and economic growth in Europe.

The Observatory recently published a study on the economic impact of industries that rely heavily on Intellectual Property (IP), the so-called IP-intensive industries. The key facts to keep in mind are:

• 50% of EU industries are IP-intensive
• 1 in 3 of all EU jobs rely on IP-intensive industries
• 39% of the total economic activity (GDP) in the EU relies on IP

This study is the first edition of a trilogy. Last week, the second part was released. It focuses on the perception of IP by European citizens. A few interesting facts:

• 96% of Europeans agree that protecting IP is important
• 86% agree that protecting IP contributes to improving the quality of products and services
• 69% value IP because it contributes to the creation of jobs and economic well-being

To complete the picture, the last study of the trilogy, to be published next year, will focus on the impact of infringement of IP rights on the European economy.

The debate in Brussels about copyright policy has long been lacking robust data to support decision-making. The IP Observatory studies will help our leaders take informed decisions on the future of copyright in the interest of European citizens.

We would encourage you to visit the brand new website of the IP Observatory for more interesting facts about intellectual property in Europe.

We wrote recently about the outcome of the Licences for Europe exercise of the Commission that sought to identify practical solutions to making more content accessible online across EU member states. The Commission has now just launched a consultation on copyright reform which is seeking the views of all stakeholders with an interest in copyright issues. The consultation will close on 5 February 2014.