Dear Members of the European Parliament,
We write to you on behalf of creators' organisations and trades unions representing over a million authors, performers, artists, technicians and other creative workers regarding the forthcoming vote on the Gallo report.
We believe that this report represents a good compromise between the different political groups. We equally appreciate the fact that it advocates a balanced and fair approach to illegal file sharing, with an emphasis on educational and awareness raising measures rather than repressive provisions, as it has been often inaccurately reported. We fully acknowledge the need to create a favourable environment enabling consumers to access creative and in-copyright works of high quality. We look forward to further initiatives promoting employment, better remuneration for creators in the sector and the value of intellectual property as a tool to sustain cultural diversity in Europe.
Throughout the debate on the report, we have all been active in drawing your attention to the need for an effective protection of creative contents on the Internet, in the interest of creators, technicians and all other workers in the media and entertainment industries. Such protection is also essential to a sustainable creative economy as well as to the diversity of cultural expressions, to the benefit of all EU citizens.
The drastic change of paradigm introduced by the Alternative Resolution, which by contrast simply endorses behaviours aiming at escaping lawful and legitimate payments for creative contents and services, would endanger the work and remuneration of our members. We believe that the proposed compensation systems cannot satisfactorily replace existing remuneration schemes.
Illegal file sharing, even on a non-commercial basis, unfairly competes with new business models, thus undermining investments in the creative industries and threatening jobs in the sector. The Alternative Resolution doesn’t bring any evidence that it could substitute the existing copyright/authors’ rights regime without heavy collateral damages to the whole creative chain, from creators to consumers.
Respect for intellectual property rights, including author's rights, is a pre-requisite for authors, creators and technicians to contribute with their work to the European cultural wealth and economy.
For these reasons, we urge you to support the Gallo report at your forthcoming plenary meeting next week.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Burke
President
European Council of Artists (ECA)
Kronprinsessegade 34 B, 2
DK-1306 Copenhagen K
eca@eca.dk
www.eca.dk
Carola Streul
Secretary-General
European Visual Artists (EVA)
Rue du Prince Royal, 87
B-1050 Brussels
info@evartists.org
www.evartists.org
Aidan White
General Secretary
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
International Press Centre, Residence Palace, Block C
Rue de la Loi, 155
B-1040 Brussels
Efj@ifj.org
www.ifj-europe.org
Myriam Diocaretz
Secretary-General
European Writers’ Council (EWC)
Rue du Prince Royal, 87
B-1050 Brussels
EWC-Secretariat@inter.nl.net
www.europeanwriters.eu
Elisabeth O. Sjaastad
Chief Executive Officer
Federation of European Film Directors (FERA)
Rue de Prince Royal, 87
B-1050 Brussels
office@filmdirectors.eu
www.filmdirectors.eu
Dominick Luquer
General Secretary
International Federation of Actors (FIA)
Rue de l'Hôpital 31, Box 9
B-1000 Brussels
dluquer@fia-actors.com
www.fia-actors.com
Benoît Machuel
General Secretary
International Federation of Musicians (FIM)
21 bis, rue Victor Massé
F - 75009 Paris
office@fim-musicians.com
www.fim-musicians.com
David Kavanagh
Executive Officer
Federation of Screenwriters in Europe (FSE)
Rue de l'Hopital 31, Box 9
B-1000 Brussels
info@scenaristes.org
www.scenaristes.org
Johannes Studinger
Head
UNI MEI – Global Union for Media, Entertainment and Arts
Rue de l’Hôpital, 31
B-1000 Brussels
johannes.studinger@uniglobalunion.org
www.uniglobalunion.org/mei
Cécile Despringre
Executive Director
Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA)
Rue du Prince Royal, 87
B-1050 Brussels
info@saa-authors.eu
www.saa-authors.eu