Tag: European Union

It was almost exactly five years ago that a reform of EU copyright was included in the European Commission’s list of priorities. The setting of that priority was followed by several public consultations, countless public events, and many face-to-face meetings. In 2016, the Commission made a proposal for what this reform would look like. Since….

The European Parliament’s September 12 vote on the proposed Copyright Directive was a missed opportunity to improve copyright, after many years of discussion: Two years ago, the European Commission set out to modernize copyright laws across the EU with a flawed proposal with potential to improve. This proposal was referred to several committees in the….

You can also read this post in Spanish and in French. Back in 2001, the European Parliament came together to pass regulations and set up copyright laws for the internet, a technology that was just finding its footing after the dot com boom and bust. Wikipedia had just been born, and there were 29 million websites. No one….

We applaud the results of this vote by the European Parliament as it now provides an opportunity for open discussion to create a balanced, modern copyright system for Europe.

A proposed new copyright package in the European Union is a threat to our fundamental right to freely share information. The time to speak out is now.

Now that it has passed a critical vote in the European Parliament, we have one last opportunity to make the EU revise its proposed copyright directive and ensure the internet stays open for everyone.

As policymakers increasingly suggest technological solutions to fight illegal and controversial content online, we ask them to consider the rights of internet users and to leave room for the human side of content moderation.

Independent Wikimedia chapters in Europe have a pair of policy advisers working to promote the Wikimedia movement's ideals in the European Union's public policy.

The European Commission’s leaked plans for EU copyright reform show that their primary concern is rightsholder revenue, with the public’s interest in accessing and sharing knowledge taking a back seat.

European copyright laws are very complex, making it hard to share free knowledge. To address this issue, a longtime Wikimedia contributor traveled to Brussels to meet members of the European Parliament and explain why copyright reform is needed.