WIREDGOV

Yesterday the European Parliament on Tuesday voted in favor of adopting a the EU Copyright Directive. techUK has responded with concern about the impact this will have on...

Responding to the result of the vote, Giles Derrington, associate director of policy, techUK, yesterday said:

“Today the European Parliament has failed to strike the right balance between protecting copyright and ensuring freedom of expression. We are particularly concerned about the impact the new Copyright Directive will have on competition within the digital sector given the high-cost of meeting the requirements Directive now creates. The technical challenges created by these new rules show the continued need for lawmakers to better understand the technologies and businesses they seek to regulate. Policy makers have to take responsibility for the consequences of pursuing simplistic solutions to complex problems.

“From a UK perspective it is now critical that Government gives clear direction on how the UK will use the flexibility the Directive affords on text and data mining tools, and makes clear how the UK will approach the implementation phase of the Copyright Directive given the UK’s departure from the EU.”