News

Strasbourg, 12 September – Today, the European Parliament rose to the occasion and voted in favour of a Copyright Directive by more than 200 votes. The Directive will at last provide the tools to ensure the fair remuneration that creators have been asking for. GESAC, the European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers, wishes to thank the many MEPs who have worked tirelessly these past months and years, fighting disinformation, and not bowing down to the enormous pressure exerted by a campaign led by tech giants, and defined by foul play and astroturfing.

Rightsholders call on the Commission and Council to reconsider the issue of directly injected broadcast signals in the proposed Broadcasting and Retransmissions Regulation. The European Parliament has shown that it is ready to help European creators after being provided with substantial evidence over the past year. Following a vote in the Plenary, there is now momentum to find a solution.

On 6th March 2018 world-renowned electronic music composer and performer Jean-Michel Jarre led a delegation of authors to Brussels to call for support by members of the European Parliament to bring fairness for authors in the digital world.

19 March 2018: After the dismissal of Christophe Depreter from his position as SABAM’s CEO, on 13 March, the GESAC Board has designated Robert Ashcroft to replace him as President of GESAC until the next statutory elections on May 3. Robert Ashcroft is CEO of the British authors society PRS for music and has been Vice-President of GESAC Board until now.