On the 28 of October the European Commission adopted a Recommendation on the digitisation and online accessibility of cultural material and digital preservation. The Recommendation follows up on a similar Recommendation from 2006, updating for new developments such as the launch in 2008 of Europeana and the adoption of the Commission’s proposal for a Directive…

This sentence summarizes quite well the decision of the Antwerp Court of Appeal of 26 September 2011 which it is abstracted from. The Belgian Anti-piracy Federation filed a cease and desist action against Telenet and Belgacom, two Belgian ISPs, in order to make them block The Pirate Bay’s websites in their respective networks. In first…

UK: ITV Broadcasting Ltd v TV Catchup Ltd High Court of England and Wales (Patents Court), 18 July 2011 Live-streaming: In a case on internet live-streaming retransmission of TV broadcasts and films, the High Court ruled that the introduction in the UK Copyright Act of a general right of communication to the public with respect…

The question, whether software licences for computer programs that were purchased in an intangible form (via download from the sellers’ server) can be resold by the first acquirer and used by the second buyer without consent of the right holder, has to be interpreted in light of the computer program directive 2009/24/EG. A full summary…

It cannot have evaded the notice of anyone interested in copyright matters that Judge Chin at a New York federal district court recently has rejected the so-called Google Book Settlement (GBS). While holding that “the digitization of books and the creation of a universal digital library would benefit many”, Judge Chin argued that the GBS…

Survey:
HADOPI, cultural goods and Internet use: The French users’ practices and perceptions (“Hadopi, biens culturels et usages d’Internet: pratiques et perceptions des internautes français”), presented on 23 January 2011 at the MIDEM (Marché International du Disque et de l’Edition Musicale- International Market for Records and Musical Edition): http://www.hadopi.fr/download/hadopiT0.pdf
Press

Press releases:
Etude de la HADOPI sur le téléchargement: des chiffres providentiels, ZDNet.fr
http://www.zdnet.fr/actualites/etude-de-la-hadopi-sur-le-telechargement-des-chiffres-providentiels-39757755.htm

Midem: un internaute français sur deux pirate, La Tribune.fr
http://www.latribune.fr/technos-medias/medias/20110123trib000594860/midem-un-internaute-francais-sur-deux-pirate-.html

Selon une étude de l’HADOPI, 49% des internautes ont eu recours “au moins une fois à un usage illicite de biens culturels”, Le Monde.fr, Blogs
http://midem.blog.lemonde.fr/2011/01/24/selon-une-etude-de-l%E2%80%99hadopi-49-des-internautes-ont-eu-recours-%C2%AB-au-moins-une-fois-a-un-usage-illicite-de-biens-culturels-%C2%BB/

My first post for the Kluwer Copyright blog will touch upon an issue which over the years has gained increased attention from legislators: how to stimulate the digitization and online availability of the collections held by libraries, museums and other cultural institutions – sometimes referred to as our “common heritage” – and at the same…

Italy is currently being interested by an intense querelle about the role of the Communications Authority (“Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni”) in the enforcement of the provisions of Law n. 633/1941 (“Copyright Law”) with respect to users’ unauthorized posting of copyrighted contents online. The debate has become particularly hot after the Communications Authority has…

On 15 February 2011, the Spanish Parliament adopted the Ley de Economía Sostenible (Sustainable Economy Act). This act aims at turning Spain’s economic model into a more sustainable one from not only a economic but also social and environmental point of view. Among many other issues, this act includes some very controversial provisions amending three…