European Commission steps up protection of European intellectual property in global markets; European Commission, January 8, 2020

Press Release, European Commission; European Commission steps up protection of European intellectual property in global markets

"The European Commission published today the latest report on protection and enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in third countries. While developments have taken place since the publication of the previous report, concerns persist and a number of areas for improvement and action remain to be addressed. Intellectual property rights infringements worldwide cost European firms billions of euros in lost revenue and put thousands of jobs at risk. Today's report identifies three groups of countries on which the EU will focus its action...

Industries that use intellectual property intensively accounted for some 84 million European jobs and 45% of the total EU GDP in the period 2014-2016. 82% of EU exports were generated by the industries intensively using intellectual property. In these sectors, the EU has a trade surplus of around 182 billion euros. Also, an estimated 121 billion euros or 6.8% of all imports into the EU, are counterfeit or pirated."

EU Internet Advocates Launch Campaign to Stop Dangerous Copyright Filtering Proposal; Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), March 7, 2017

Kerry Sheehan, Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF); 

EU Internet Advocates Launch Campaign to Stop Dangerous Copyright Filtering Proposal

"In the wake of the European Commission’s dangerous proposal to require user-generated content platforms to filter user uploads for copyright infringement, European digital rights advocates are calling on Internet users throughout Europe to stand up for freedom of expression online by urging their MEP (Member of European Parliament) to stop the #CensorshipMachine and “save the meme.”

Last year, the European Commission released a proposed Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market, Article 13 of which would require all online service providers that “store and provide to the public access to large amounts of works or other subject-matter uploaded by their users” to reach agreements with rights holders to keep allegedly infringing content off their sites – including by implementing content filtering technologies.

We’ve talked at length about the dangers of this proposal, and the problems with filtering the Internet for copyright infringement. For one thing, it’s extremely dangerous for fair use and free expression online."

Europe’s copyright cop-out; Politico, 9/1/16

Chris Spillane and Axex Spence, Politico; Europe’s copyright cop-out:

"Fifteen years of bitter battles between old media and disruptive digital upstarts over copyright have led the European Commission’s long-awaited reforms of the system down a blind alley.

Instead of a coherent vision that produces winners and losers, the draft proposals on the so-called copyright directive fudge crucial questions about how artists can earn money in the digital age, and whether generations of internet users can avoid committing a crime for unwittingly accessing protected intellectual property...

Streamlining and modernizing a patchwork of copyright laws is a cornerstone of the Commission’s digital single market strategy, which aims to pump €415 billion into Europe’s economy annually by breaking digital barriers across the EU. A final version of the proposal is due to be proposed by the Commission on September 21, and then goes to the European Parliament and EU states for approval, which will likely be highly contentious."

Google Reaches Out to European Publishers, With $165 Million in Hand; New York Times, 4/28/15

Mark Scott, New York Times; Google Reaches Out to European Publishers, With $165 Million in Hand:

"Less than two weeks after the European Commission filed antitrust charges against Google for abusing its dominant position in online search, the company said it would spend 150 million euros, or $165 million, over the next three years to help European publishers and newspapers adapt to the digital world.

And by announcing the plan, the Digital News Initiative, Google was trying to assuage fears from many European newspapers, including Axel Springer of Germany, that the search giant held too much control over how Europeans access online content, analysts said. Google has a roughly 90 percent market share across the 28-member bloc, more than its stake in the American market.

The creation of Google’s program also comes before new potential problems for the company in Europe, including potential changes to Europe’s copyright rules."

Europe Talks Tough On Piracy and Copyright; eWeek Europe, 12/15/09

Andrew Donoghue, eWeek Europe; Europe Talks Tough On Piracy and Copyright:

"European authorities have outlined plans to combat piracy and counterfeiting which includes plans to protect intellectual property across the region and the ratification of an international law on copyright in development since 1996.

The European Commission and member states met in Stockhom this week to discuss plans around the European Observatory for Counterfeiting and Piracy - an agency established last April. According to European authorities, the Observatory was created to help develp a "databank" of intelligence on how best to combat the threats posed to innovation in the region by piracy and counterfeiting.

"The EU is a world pacesetter for innovation, culture and creativity. It is time to put a stop to organised criminals freeloading on the ingenuity and hard work of the most resourceful businesses in the world. Counterfeiting and piracy is an affliction that is bringing criminality ever closer to our doors," said EC Internal Market and Services commissioner Charlie McCreevy.

McCreevy added that piracy threatens public safety and jobs in Europe."

http://www.eweekeurope.co.uk/news/europe-talks-tough-on-piracy-and-copyright-2773

Google Battles For Book Rights; Forbes, 11/12/09

Oxford Analytica, via Forbes; Google Battles for Book Rights:

"A settlement between Google and a U.S. court on the digitization of books is expected this week, after Google presents a new version of its proposed settlement with the Association of American Publishers and the Authors' Guild. If approved, it will enable the full roll-out of Google Books in the U.S. market.

However, in October, the European Commission announced that it wanted to resolve the copyright problem in advance of the U.S. company, which had hitherto set the pace on this issue...

New approach. The Commission has recently taken the initiative on issues of digitization and copyright. Interestingly, while Information Commissioner Vivien Reding has talked much about the possibilities for an E.U. approach to the issue, the Commission's paper makes no direct mention of Google. Perhaps the Commission is trying to walk a line between its own enthusiasm for an E.U. solution, and the clear hostility of some member states towards Google Books. This new stance is in contrast to Reding's earlier "pro-Google" stance and may be related to her concerns to secure a further term in the Commission.

Outlook. While a U.S. settlement for Google looks likely to be reached this week, it may not be acceptable to critics at home and abroad. This provides an opportunity for the Commission to push forward with a European regime for digitized libraries. This will depend on the member states' willingness to harmonize copyright rules, a process where progress in the past has been slow."

http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/11/google-books-settlement-business-oxford-europe.html