The European Magazine Media Association (EMMA), the European Newspaper Publishers’ Association (ENPA), the European Publishers’ Council (EPC) and News Media Europe (NME) welcome the fact that the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Council called for the introduction of an exclusive right for press publishers in EU copyright law today.

Although the original proposal from the European Commission offers more clarity and legal certainty, the Council mandate of today is a decisive step in the right direction.

As a next step, the European Parliament must finalise its position, before the European Commission, the Council and the European Parliament can start the tripartite negotiations on the legislative proposal. The rapporteur in the Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, MEP Axel Voss, has already put forward a sensible balanced proposal for a Publisher’s Right. We remain confident that policy makers will continue showing support for an exclusive right to underpin investment in the free and democratic European press.

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EMMA, the European Magazine Media Association, is the unique and complete representation of Europe’s magazine media, which is today enjoyed by millions of consumers on various platforms. EMMA represents 15,000 publishing houses, publishing 50,000 magazine titles across Europe in print and digital. See: www.magazinemedia.eu

ENPA, the European Newspaper Publishers’ Association, is an international non-profit organisation representing publishers of newspaper and news media on all platforms. In a rapidly changing media environment, ENPA supports publishers with the aim of achieving a successful and sustainable future for independent news media in Europe. See: www.enpa.eu

EPC, the European Publishers Council is a high level group of Chairmen and CEOs of leading European media corporations actively involved in multimedia markets spanning newspaper, magazine, book, journal, internet and online database publishers, and radio and TV broadcasting. See: http://epceurope.eu/

NME, News Media Europe (NME) represents the progressive news media industry in Europe – over 2200 European titles of newspapers, radio, TV and internet. NME is committed to maintaining and promoting the freedom of the press, to upholding and enhancing the freedom to publish, and to championing the newsbrands which are one of the most vital parts of Europe’s creative industries. See: https://www.newsmediaeurope.eu/

Contacts:

Joy de Looz-Corswarem – EMMA – Joy.deloozc@magazinemedia.eu

Joy de Looz-Corswarem – ENPA – Joy.deloozc@enpa.eu

Angela Mills Wade – EPC – Angela.Mills-Wade@epceurope.eu

Wout van Wijk – NME – wout.vanwijk@newsmediaeurope.eu