Two new statements issued on fair remuneration ask legislators to uphold articles 14-16

 

8 February 2019

On 7 February, a joint statement was issued by representatives of European authors and performers (including IAO and CIAM) calling for the adoption of the fair remuneration proposals detailed in articles 14-16 of the proposed Copyright Directive. Notably absent of any suggestions towards the contentious article 13, the letter instead asks that article 14 must be understood as an essential mechanism towards fair and proportionate remuneration; it suggests a flexible and adaptable approach that allows for collective bargaining agreements, collective rights management or statutory remuneration, depending on the specificities of the industry.

Later, a statement by the International and European Federations of Journalists responded to the latest Council amendments, particularly in relation to recital 35 and article 11 (detailing new provisions for employment contracts), of which they say will be a “disaster for journalists”. They also caution on the “trading off” of the fair remuneration principles of articles 14-16 in favour of articles 11 and 13, of which they say will disfavour journalists over other authors. However, and in concluding, they call for both the support of articles 14-16, as well as the removal of any “exceptions and restrictions to journalists’ right to fair and proportionate remuneration” detailed in 11 and 13 (ergo seeming to advocate for a harder, more far-reaching stance on the application of both).