A majority of 328 voted in favour of creating a harmonised market, which they believe might be a way to combat the growth of unauthorised file sharing of copyrighted works on the internet.
The call by MEPs to harmonise the copyright system in Europe by overhauling the legal framework is different to the view expressed by the European Commission. The Commission, which is the executive body of the EU, believes that the civil enforcement framework is sufficient to deal with the problem of online of issues such as illegal downloading of copyright-infringing material.
However, due to the vote the Commission will now be asked to compose a strategy on IP rights that will create a single market for the protection of copyright online.
The resolution also asks that EU-wide licensing system for copyright should provide consumers with "access to the widest possible choice of content and not at the expense of European local repertoire".
As part of the proposed new system, MEPs want the idea of a private copy of a copyrighted work to exist and to ensure that individuals would not have to prove their copies of a work are legitimate.
The vote was based on the report by French MEP Marielle Gallo and also calls for a quick resolution to talks about the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement and to make sure that the Agreement will comply with EU law.
The move by the Parliament comes in the same week as the proposed bill introduced in the US Senate, which if passed would give the US government expedited powers to deal with online piracy.
