News

Decision today overturns allegations that European authors’ societies coordinated to restrict competition

CISAC welcomes the European Court’s judgment to uphold their appeal against the 2008 European Commission decision on author’s rights

Paris/Berlin/Brussels, 12th April 2013 – CISAC, the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers, welcomes the decision of the General Court of the European Union today to uphold their appeal against the 2008 EU Commission decision (COMP/C2/38.698). In doing so, the allegation that CISAC and their member societies had engaged in a concerted practice in order to restrict competition has been finally rejected.

“This is a very important decision for authors and their collective management organizations throughout the European Union,” said Olivier Hinnewinkel, director general of CISAC. “It allows us to get back to the job of ensuring the 3 million creators and rights holders that we represent obtain a fair income from the use of their creative work, and to continue developing licensing models that meet the market’s needs.”

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My week: GESAC and its members attend IP Forum in Brussels

Already back from the Easter break, Véronique Desbrosses, General Manager, GESAC gives an update on some recent and upcoming highlights in her calendar.

Last week GESAC was involved in the last IP Forum conference, a platform set up by Marielle Gallo MEP to talk through pressing copyright issues affecting Europe’s economy and well-being. Can you tell us a bit about how GESAC was involved? What were the main outcomes of the event – were you pleased about them?

The last few weeks have been busy with various hearings on the Collective Rights Management Directive, but the IP Forum was one of the last chance for the European Parliament to hear from all interested parties – and for these stakeholders to get their point of view across.

Work on the Collective Rights Management proposal is now entering a new phase. Between now and the summer the CULTURE, INTA, IMCO and JURI Committees in the European Parliament will be working hard to pull together an opinion on the proposal, led by Marielle Gallo.  Her report will be voted on in the JURI committee on 9 July.

Amongst others, two issues on this piece of legislation are key for GESAC:

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Hyperlinks – EU Court examines role in unlicensed use of music

Today we’d like to share with you an article that has been prepared by the lawyers of our Dutch member BUMA on a very important case pending at the EU Court, formally known as the Court of Justice of the European Union.

The article analyses the questions that were posed to the Court in the preliminary ruling of case of Svensson/Retriever Sverige AB, which is specifically concerned withhow hyperlinking can play an important role in the unlicensed use of musical works. The analysis is supported by GESAC’s members.

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