Copyright reform should not close doors to SMEs

“Making copyright work for SMEs does not mean that one had to stifle innovation or introduce burdensome legislation. We need a balanced copyright reform that provides legal certainty and clarity to foster SME growth and innovation.”

MEP Therese Comodini Cachia made these remarks when opening the event ‘Making Copyright Work: The Impact of Neighbouring Rights on European SMEs and Innovation’ held at the European Parliament in Brussels.

The event was organised by the Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Europe Group of the European Peoples Party.

Dr Comodini Cachia said that the creative and cultural sector in Europe is made up of several SMEs which we would like to see grow and innovate. She added “These SMEs already face challenges and it is in Europe’s interest that we do not place more burdens upon them.”

She pointed out that within the copyright debate one finds SMEs which play a variety of roles and consequently there is the need to analyse each proposal made by the Commission to verify its effect on SMEs. She said, “When discussing neighbouring rights, we need to keep in mind that we also have SMEs which are press publishers, news analysts, press reviewers and many other service providers. They all give input in today’s data society and we need to find ways to make copyright work for these stakeholders. We need to make choices that facilitate the growth of European SMEs in the Digital Single Market, but this does not mean that they are not bound by copyright rules”.

This event brought together Members of Parliament from different political groups, European Commission officials, representatives of SMEs such as press publishers, news analysts as well as other stakeholders, to discuss the recently announced proposals from the European Commission on the copyright reform. MEP Comodini Cachia, as rapporteur, is leading the debate on this much-expected reform.