Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

[**Avis juridique important**](../../../editorial/legal_notice.htm)

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# 92000E0355

**WRITTEN QUESTION E-0355/00 by Ward Beysen (ELDR) to the Commission. Copyright directive.** 
  
*Official Journal 374 E , 28/12/2000 P. 0057 - 0058*

  

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0355/00

by Ward Beysen (ELDR) to the Commission

(14 February 2000)

Subject: Copyright directive

The Commission's proposal on revising the directive on copyright and associated rights is currently before the Council. The proposal affords enormous advantages in that it strikes a balance between copyright holders, on the one hand, and users and the technology sector, on the other; however, there may be an inherent risk of giving a complete technical monopoly to copyright holders. What action is the Commission intending to take to avoid requirements being imposed in respect of technical systems in exceptional cases, i.e. instances where copying is, in fact, permitted?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(28 March 2000)

The aim of the proposal for a Directive on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society(1) is to adapt the legal framework for copyright at Community level in order to meet the challenges of new technologies and new forms of production and exploitation of works. The proposal is in keeping with a globalised environment, and it aims to transpose the bulk of the international obligations arising from the treaties adopted in 1996 under the aegis of the World Intellectual Property Organisation; one of these relates to copyright and the other to interpretations, performances and phonograms.

Under one of these obligations, the contracting parties have agreed to adopt legislation guaranteeing legal protection of the technical measures used by copyright holders to protect their work against unauthorised acts. The proposal for a Directive transposes this obligation at Community level in order to ensure an equivalent level of protection in all Member States and to allow the single market to function properly.

The Honourable Member recognises the efforts made by the Commission in the proposal to strike a balance between the various rights and interests involved. The Commission is particularly aware of the need for balance when delimiting the level of protection of technical measures where a Member State has recourse to one of the exceptions provided for in Article 5 of the proposal. The Member States seeking a satisfactory solution within the Council working group share that concern.

(1) OJ C 180, 25.6.1999.

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