News

Top 10: press round-up of EU Court ruling in favour of author societies.

Last Friday, the European Court of Justice overturned a European Commission decision from 2008 that alleged author societies had colluded to secure an unfair advantage in the market place. Described by MLex as a ‘crucial victory’, the decision has received coverage across the web.

Here is our pick from the numerous articles published since Friday:

1 Collecting societies celebrate as EU Court annuls ‘collusion’ findings. (Mlex – Paid-for content)

2 CISAC appeal upheld by general court of the EU in ‘competition restriction’ case (Music Week)

3 Court annuls Commission’s CISAC decision (New Europe)

4 Collecting societies cleared of cartel accusations (Europolitics)

5 EU Court tells Commission it was wrong over collecting societies (Managing IP – Paid for Content)

6 EU General Court Clears Copyright Collecting Societies Of Antitrust Charges   (IP Watch – Paid-for content)
7 Commission’s decision finding anti-competitive conduct on the part of copyright collecting societies, partially annulled (EuroAlert)

8 EU Court Nixes Copyright Royalty Antitrust Decision (Law 360 – Paid-for content)

9 CISAC wins appeal in Europe  (The CMU website)

10 EU court partially overturns EC ruling on collecting societies  (Digital TV Europe)

 

You can read CISAC’s press release here.

You can read the Court’s statement announcing the decision here.

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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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