GESAC press release: European Commission Vice-President Ansip Receives Petition Signed by 20,000 Creators Urging Commission to Tackle Transfer of Value

To view the press release, please click here.

• An author delegation led by renowned French visual artist Daniel Buren presented a petition to Commission Vice-President Ansip today.
• The petition, signed by some 20,000 creators, calls on the Commission to end the economic and legal loophole that platforms like YouTube have been wrongfully taking advantage of these past years.
• The loophole results in a transfer of value from creators to tech giants, draining Europe of its creative potential. 

Brussels, 05/09/2016 – As the Commission finalises its work on the copyright reform, authors are active throughout Europe and the world to ensure that their biggest concern is addressed. The petition, signed by Pedro Almodóvar, Charles Aznavour, Imogen Heap, Agnieszka Holland, Hooverphonic, Ennio Morricone, Mikis Theodorakis, and another 20,000 creators from all creative horizons (composers, authors, directors, screenwriters, photographers, sculptors, painters, etc.) and all over the European Union, is one of many signals to the European institutions that the current state of play is unacceptable.

Irish composer Bill Whelan comments:

The nourishing effects of creative activities are essential to our understanding of ourselves and our society. By removing the income sources which previously sustained these, we have, in a startlingly short time, reduced these careers to being essentially “amateur” or part-time (…). The Commission should be forcefully aware of the organic effect that this is having culturally and take swift and radical action to respond to this alarming and culturally damaging situation.”

Today, Internet giants argue that copyright obligations do not apply to them and hide behind safe harbour exemptions to avoid paying creators and rights holders fairly. The petition argues that “This is an unprecedented opportunity for Europe to lead a movement that rebalances the market so that creators, consumers and smaller businesses alike get the best possible deal.” 

About the meeting

The meeting with Commission VP Ansip was attended by Daniel Buren, visual artist C215, architect Aymeric Zublena, painter Paul De Gobert and representatives of authors’ societies GESAC and EVA (European Visual Artists). The Panorama exception was discussed; an exception that the Commission thought unnecessary to address in its legislative proposal. This is a decision that GESAC and EVA applaud. 

• Read the text of the petition here.
• Find the list of signatories here.
• Read more about transfer of value here and here.
• Read more about the Panorama exception here. 

About GESAC

GESAC groups 34 of the largest authors’ societies in the European Union, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. We defend and promote the rights of about 1 million creators and rights holders in the areas of music, audiovisual works, visual arts, and literary and dramatic works.

www.authorsocieties.eu - @authorsocieties - secretariatgeneral@gesac.org - +32 2 511 44 54