Authors on everyone’s lips but forgotten in European Parliament resolution

Press Release, Brussels, 9^th July 2015

Cécile Despringre, SAA Executive Director: “We know this resolution has had a long and difficult path to adoption but every side seems to defend the importance of authors receiving fair remuneration but fails to put forward any concrete proposals to correct current failings. The Commission mustn’t fall into the same trap.  A legislative proposal on authors’ rights has to include something for authors.”

Adopted in plenary on Thursday 9^th July, the European Parliament resolution evaluating the implementation of the 2001 copyright Directive includes a few paragraphs on the position of authors.  None of these articles evaluate the impact of the 2001 Copyright Directive on their position, at best they consist of welcome but weak generalities (paragraphs 24, 27) at worst they are a mix of so many compromises as to be meaningless (paragraph 25).

SAA regrets that once again the authors’ rights and their position have not been at the centre of the European copyright discussion. From the very poor, user-focused draft report prepared by the only pirate member of the European Parliament, the compromised final resolution adopted today, neutralises the most negative proposals by Ms Reda. The essence of authors’ rights and copyright policy – ensuring that creative works are protected and that authors can make a living from their art - was lost in sterile and theoretical discussions, far removed from the everyday challenges of the creators in the digital environment.

SAA can only call on the Commission to back up the positive rhetoric on improving author’s remuneration with regard to the digital distribution and exploitation of their works with meaningful action such as a right to remuneration to improve the situation of Europe’s screenwriters and directors in its forthcoming legislative initiative.

Contact: James Taylor, j.taylor@saa-authors.eu, +32 495 734 290

About SAA

Founded in 2010, the Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA) is the association of European collective management organisations representing audiovisual authors.  Its 26 members in 19 countries manage rights for over 120,000 film, television and multimedia European screenwriters and directors.

In March 2015 SAA published the second edition of its White Paper on Audiovisual Authors’ Rights and Remuneration in Europe (executive summary here), which proposes a collectively managed unwaivable right to remuneration for the online exploitation of screenwriters’ and directors’ works.

The organisation’s objectives are:

- to defend and strengthen the economic and moral rights of audiovisual authors;

- to secure fair remuneration for audiovisual authors for every use of their works.

- to develop, promote and facilitate the management of rights by member societies;