Brussels, 09/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The General Affairs Council approved without debate on Monday the Directive harmonising intellectual property rights in the information society. The Directive deals more specifically with copyright and the right to distribute and sets out a list of authorised exceptions. For example, private copies will now be subject to fair compensation for the holders of copyright.
The European Commission welcomed the adoption of the document which, it feels, will facilitate the development of e-commerce for new products and multimedia. It explained that the Directive is the result of a balance struck after more than three years of intense negotiations. The document incorporates the nine compromise amendments voted on by the European Parliament at its plenary session in February 2001 (see EUROPE of 15 February, p. 12).