Brussels, 08/05/2015 (Agence Europe) - The Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers (SACD) is delighted that the discussions between creators and the European Commission over recent months has led to a better understanding by the latter of the specificities of the system used to finance audiovisual and cinematographic work.
Although copyright reform is an important part of the digital strategy unveiled last Wednesday, the SACD is pleased that the need to protect the value of creative works, which is broadly based on territorialised financing, is explicitly mentioned as an objective that should be taken into consideration. The SACD explains that it is not opposed to the portability of services, better access to films and creative work and that it even wants their availability enhanced on digital platforms. Nonetheless, audiovisual authors are looking at their remuneration framework very carefully, as well as the question of promoting European work and the fight against counterfeiting creative work on the Internet.
The Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA) also wants the remuneration of authors to be at the centre of copyright reform. In this connection it refers to the publication on 23 March of its second White Paper on audiovisual authors' rights and remuneration in Europe. This document highlights the explosion in different kinds of use of audiovisual works, underlines the opportunities existing in the digital economy and presents the SAA's proposals to guarantee screenwriters and directors a fair share of the royalties (see EUROPE 11281). The SAA asserts that it will be particularly attentive to questions relating to geo-blocking and cross-border access.
Creativity Works! is a body that brings together creative and cultural organisations and federations and is hoping that as part of its digital strategy, the Commission will develop proposals to stimulate growth in the creative industries and support the digital economy. In this perspective, the Commission is also being called on to carefully examine the economic and legal impact on the creative industry of the provisions it is planning on introducing as part of copyright reform and that it takes into account the existing legal traditions in the different member states. (Isabelle Lamberty)