April 1, 2019

NMA chairman David Dinsmore has welcomed the European Parliament’s vote to adopt the EU Digital Copyright Directive (see item above), dismissing claims that the measures will damage the free internet as “wildly overblown scaremongering”.

The NMA says that the industry is now calling on the UK Government to adopt the measures, which have been backed by the creative sector including publishers, musicians, authors and film producers across Europe, into UK law as soon as possible.

Mr Dinsmore said:

“The European Parliament’s vote to adopt the EU Copyright Directive is a positive step forward for content creators across Europe.

“Claims about the damage this would supposedly inflict on the internet are wildly overblown and amount to nothing more than scaremongering, with the cynical aim of protecting the ability of others to profit from our content while contributing next to nothing back to those who create it.

“It is vitally important there is investment into professional journalism so that accurate and authoritative information continues to be available.

“After approval by the European Council in April, the UK Government must look to implement the measures into UK law as soon as possible so we can seek to redress the balance.”

As well as lobbying for a strong Publisher’s Right for UK publishers alongside other press organisations, the NMA is seeking clarity over how the Digital Copyright Directive will be implemented into domestic law as the Brexit process continues.

The Directive contains a 24-month transposition period, commencing on its entry into the EU Official Journal. How it is implemented into UK law will therefore depend on the date and nature of the UK’s departure from the EU. To read the NMA’s news release in full, click here.