Still no white smoke at the EU Council on copyright reform: the Romanian Presidency continues to consult Member States and refuses to bring forward a date for the next meeting of Member States' ambassadors to the European Union (Coreper). However, the date of 6 February is still in the air.
"It is not true to say that [this lack of an official meeting] is a bad sign. We are seeking a strong position in the Council", said one European source. A strong position, as a reminder, which the Romanian Presidency had not succeeded in obtaining on 19 January since a blocking minority had refused to give it a mandate to negotiate with the European Parliament (see EUROPE 12176). As we wrote earlier, tensions have crystallised around the fate of extracts for the neighbouring right of newspaper publishers and with the exception of small and medium-sized enterprises for the value gap.
Several observers believe that a Franco-German solution on SMEs would solve the problem. However, at this stage, it seems that the two States have not yet reached agreement (although the subject may have been discussed during the Aachen Treaty). Germany is requesting a horizontal exception in Article 2 (the definition of platforms) while France wants to limit this exception to Article 13 (the value gap).
Two meetings of the Intellectual Property Group are scheduled this week (Wednesday and Friday) and could - though not for certain - address copyright. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)