The European Copyright Directive: Ready for the Digital Age?

With the start of the digital age far behind us, the EU finally decided that the time was ripe to modernize its copyright framework legislation. The directive that was adopted in April 2019 on copyright and related rights in the Digital Single Market (2019/790) is Europe’s attempt to “make sure that consumers and creators can make the most of the digital world.”

However, this new Directive has been the subject of fierce debate. During this webinar we will discuss the most important changes introduced by the Directive and the criticism that has been voiced. We will also predict how national implementation and the practical consequences of the new Directive will affect Belgian companies operating within this new framework.

Among the most important changes that will be discussed, are the exceptions to copyright relating to teaching activities, text and data mining and the preservation of cultural heritage. These exceptions have been made mandatory. Also, we will describe the new set of rules imposed on the market place for online content, and explain the increased risk of liability for copyright infringement by users. Finally, we will clarify how the “link tax” aims to protect publishers from online use of their press publications.

Are you looking for a more general state of affairs of the copyright framework in the digital age, please note that this webinar is a detailed deep dive into the new Copyright Directive. A webinar covering some of the basic copyright concepts and practical considerations in the digital age will take place on 13 October 2020.