The EC has published a 22 page “synthesis” of the 380 comments it received on the Report on the Application of Directive 2004/48/EC on the Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights. Roughly half of the comments came from consumers or individuals, and roughly a quarter of the comments came from rightholders. Regarding IP in the digital environment, rightholders tended to criticize the current regime “especially in terms of how it frames the role of intermediaries as well as its perceived failure to stem the increase in online copyright infringements,” while ISPs and individual citizens argued against changing the current directive, citing factors such as a lack of data to support a change, and the need to safeguard freedom of speech.
EC Documents:
- SYNTHESIS OF THE COMMENTS ON THE COMMISSION REPORT ON THE APPLICATION OF DIRECTIVE 2004/48/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF 29 APRIL 2004 ON THE ENFORCEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS (COM/2010/779 final)
Statements and blogs
- La Quadrature du Net. “IPRED: the European Commission Must Listen to the Citizens!” July 11, 2011.
- Ernesto for TorrentFreak. “ISPs, Academics and Citizens Oppose EU Anti-Piracy Legislation.” July 11, 2011.
Mike Palmedo is the admin for infojustice.org, and he manages interdisciplinary research on copyright exceptions at American University College of Law's Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property. He has Masters degrees Economics and in International Affairs, and is an economics PhD candidate.
