Cross-Border Copyfight: European Libraries Re-Thinking the InfoSoc Directive

Posted by Papers on June 2, 2015 
     
Author: Karolina Andersdotter

http://infojustice.org/archives/34528

Abstract: This master’s thesis focuses on the argumentation of library organisations and European national libraries in their contributions to the European Commission’s public consultation on the review of the EU copyright rules. This study aims to explain how the debate around copyright limitations and exceptions is constructed in library stakeholders’ contributions. The construction is explained through argumentation analysis and a theoretical framework of the relations between structural, instrumental, and discursive power.

The main findings are that library stakeholders in general are strongly supportive of a EU copyright reform, arguing that democratic values as well as the EU Single Market would benefit. There are also library stakeholders who argue against legislative change, either suggesting extended collective licences, or arguing that the Member States’ sovereignity is more important than a pan-European copyright legislation. Furthermore, many library stakeholders propose either a general ”fair use” exception in EU copyright law, or adding several specific exceptions, e.g. for text and data mining, e-lending, publicly funded research openly available, and that contracts and technical protection measures cannot override limitations and exceptions. National libraries and library organisations from the Central and Eastern European Member States’ are more supportive of a copyright reform than their Western European counterparts. They do not mention licences as a possible solution. In general, the library stakeholders agree that the interoperability, exchange and cooperation in activities and projects involving several EU Member States suffers from the current copyright legislation.

Full Text: Uppsala University Publications:

http://uu.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A814857&dswid=-555