European Commission reports on copyright consultation

The report runs to 101 pages and summarises the responses received to the 80 questions identified. These cover six main areas:

1. Rights and the functioning of the single market

2. Limitations and exceptions

3. Private copying and reprography

4. Fair remuneration of authors and performers

5. Respect for rights

6. A single EU copyright title

There were more than 9,500 replies to the consultation document and more than 11,000 messages sent to a dedicated email address. Some of the replies were the result of coordinated lobbying.

According to the Commission, 58.7% of respondents identified themselves as end users/consumers, 24.8% as authors/performers and 8.6% as publishers/broadcasters/producers. Other groups represented included institutional users, service providers/intermediaries, collective management organisations, member states and public authorities.

The report summarises how each group responded to each question, with responses predictably diverse.

The consultation is expected to lead to a White Paper on copyright after the summer, though the number of responses and the time it will take to consider them all has cast doubt on the timing of its publication.

Managing IP will analyse the report in more depth as part of a series of copyright features over the summer.

Tweeting a link to the report, Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier (pictured) said: “Work continues on EU #copyright review: summary report of public consultation now online. Thanks to all respondents!”