EU Parliament Votes To Safeguard Future Of Journalism In Europe

MEPs have voted decisively this week to recommend the introduction of new measures which will strengthen news media publishers’ ability to protect their investment in journalism in the digital environment.

The European Parliament backed the publishers’ right when MEPS voted 438 in favour of amendments to the Copyright Directive tabled by Axel Voss MEP. There were 226 against and 39 abstentions.

The publishers’ right will help secure a more sustainable future for Europe’s news media industry by giving press publishers an enhanced legal standing for protecting their investments in original and creative content.

Ahead of the crunch vote on the proposals yesterday, the News Media Association joined forces with trade associations in Europe to highlight the clear benefits for the creative industries of a publishers’ right. 

Organisations such as News Media Europe representing hundreds of news media titles across Europe have called for MEPs to back the publishers’ right ahead of the copyright vote in plenary.

The NMA said: “This vote is an important acknowledgement that the content creators are not being fairly rewarded for their investment, and that decisive action needs to be taken to protect the future of journalism.

“On the back of this vote, we look forward to continuing to work with regulators and officials here in the UK to ensure that the news media journalism we all depend upon has a vibrant and sustainable future.”

Wout van Wijk News Media Europe executive director said: “We need a publishers’ right to protect the hundreds of thousands of jobs in Europe’s news media sector and, in particular, to protect the future of professional journalism and its role in facilitating the democratic debate.”

A spokesman for a coalition of European associations NME, EMMA, EPC and ENPA said: “This reform is not just about the modernisation of copyright but about the fundamental function of our democracies.

“Today, the European parliamentarians prove they value the European independent press by voting for a publishers’ right that will help ensure the sustainability of the European press sector.”

The adoption of the Parliament’s copyright report marks an important step in the review of Europe’s copyright legislation. The final outcome based on the trialogue among the EU Parliament, the EU Commission and the EU Council is expected by the end of the year.