Gallo report on future EU copyright: No compromise on our Freedoms!

Brussels, May 30th 2010 – A few hours before the vote on the Gallo report regarding the future of EU copyright, the rapporteur, French sarkozyst Marielle Gallo, has tried to lead her colleagues into voting fake compromise amendments¹These amendments actually are not the object of a compromise and reject the most important points in the proposals of several shadow rapporteurs (members representing the political groups, negociating together compromise amendments). Mrs Gallo tries to hide the clash between two very conflicting positions: on one hand, the rapporteur’s ultra-repressive logic against online filesharing – including the encouragement of the ACTA agreement and of private copyright police – and on the other hand, the understanding that a successful creative economy will be built with Internet users and not against them. It’s up to us, citizens, to help the members of the JURI committee to make the right decision by protecting fundamental freedoms and the public interest.

(CC)BySa La Quadrature du Net

The vote of the amendments tabled on Marielle Gallo’s draft initiative report on “enhancing the enforcement of Intellectual property rights”²Draft report on enhancing the enforcement of intellectual property rights in the internal market: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=COMPARL&mode=XML&language=EN&reference=PE438.164 will take place in the JURI committee of the European Parliament on Tuesday, June 1st, around 12h30. This non-legislative text is an important political statement from the European Parliament that will have an impact on the future of copyright policy in the EU.

French rapporteur Marielle Gallo, from Nicolas Sarkozy’s conservative party, presented so far an ultra-repressive text. The draft report encourages the ACTA agreement, new criminal sanctions and the creation of private copyright police³Encouragement of private copyright police is subtly described as “non-legislative measures” and “cooperation with the private sector”, similar to the “three strikes” scheme of the French HADOPI or the British Digital Economy Bill. This blind repression, based on an archaic conception of copyright, is bound to harm fundamental freedoms, including freedom of communication, the right to a fair trial and privacy.

On the other hand, good amendments⁴Complete list of amendments including La Quadrature’s voting recommendations: http://www.laquadrature.net/wiki/Rapport_Gallo_Amendments call for introducing flexibilities so that our legal framework can evolve in accordance with new technology and widespread social practices, thus funding authors and artists while preserving the principle of proportionality and the rule of law.

The rapporteur Gallo now tries to trick her colleagues into believing that her own amendments, that were once rejected by the representatives of various political groups, are the fruit of a compromise. These “fake compromise amendments” should be rejected to ensure that a proper debate will take place and that constructive amendments will be adopted⁵La Quadrature du Net’s full voting recommendation can be found at http://www.laquadrature.net/files/20100531_Voting_Recommendation_Gallo.pdf.

“Marielle Gallo’s fake compromise amendments seek to dismiss an open debate on the need to adapt copyright to the digital era while defending fundamental freedoms. Her behaviour shows little consideration for her colleagues in the JURI committee of the European Parliament. Every citizen who values the Internet and is concerned with the protection of fundamental freedoms should contact JURI Members to ensure they are properly informed on the stakes of this vote.” concludes Jérémie Zimmermann, spokesperson for La Quadrature du Net, while renewing the citizen advocacy group’s call to contact Members of the JURI committee before tuesday, Jun 1st, 12:30.