The undersigned organisations of authors - writers, journalists, screenwriters, filmmakers, composers and songwriters - urge you to support the successful adoption of the proposed Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market. It represents a once in a decade opportunity to improve the situation of authors, thereby strengthening the European creative community and our cultural wealth in the digital era. Europe is the cradle of author’s rights: it must not turn its back on both its historical values and on its creative future in the digital era.

Since the last European elections, the European Commission, the European Parliament and Member States concluded that the European Union has an essential responsibility to promote fair remuneration for creators, including online, because:  

- The online world is of key importance to the European future, especially for Europe’s cultural and creative industries, which create EUR 509 billion in value added to the GDP, provide 7.5 % of the EU’s work force and significantly contribute to the EU economy in terms of employment, investment, growth, innovation and competitiveness on a global scale.

- Creative works, being bought and sold with such enormous economic success, are the product of the creative minds of Europe’s authors, yet their careers are barely sustainable, extremely unstable and they are in the vast majority poorly remunerated.

- In addition, technological innovation has thrown much of the established structures for the distribution of cultural content into disarray, reducing further authors’ capacity to generate income from the use of their works.

 After years of debate and discussion, the European Commission, Member States and a wide majority of MEPs have supported key transparency provisions intended to strengthen authors’ bargaining power and improve their remuneration in contracts (Chapter 3 of the Directive).

This Directive is now under threat, as some claim that this Directive will “censor the Internet” and threaten freedom of expression. Authors are at the very origin of the copyright value chain, and freedom of expression is the cornerstone of creativity: we could not support a legislation that would limit it in any way. The Directive’s chapter 3’s provisions that protect and improve the situation of authors are necessary conditions to foster freedom of expression: a precondition for the right of audiences to enjoy diverse creative work is that authors are able to make a living from their work. We therefore urge MEPs to adopt Chapter 3 in its JURI report version, which is the result of a non-partisan political consensus.

It is now time for the EU to send a strong signal to future generations who want to create and be fairly remunerated for their creations. Throwing the Directive away by postponing its adoption would be an appalling missed opportunity to empower the creative community in the digital era, and an unprecedented setback for all creators in Europe and across the world, to the sole benefit of global online platforms. 

It is now time to act, effectively support Europe's creators, and build a sustainable future for Europe's cultural diversity.

Make the right choice and adopt the Copyright Directive without further delay! 

 

Sincerely yours,

1. ADA, Austrian Directors’ Association, Austria - Jenny Gand & Jacob Groll, Co-Chairs
2. APR – ASSOCIAÇÃO PORTUGUESA DE REALIZADORES, Portugal, Filipa Reis - President
3. AGJPB, AJP-VVJ, Belgium - François Ryckmans - President
4. ALMA, Spain - Alberto Macías, President
5. AMA, Autores de Musica Asociados, Spain - Javier de Juan- President
6. AMCE, Asociacion de Mujeres Creadoras de Musica, Spain - Natalia Vergara – President
7. ANAC, Associazione Nazionale dei Autori Cinematografici, Italy - Francesco Ranieri Martinotti - President
8. ARF/FD, Swiss Filmmakers Association, Switzerland - Barbara Miller – President
9. ARRF, Association des Réalisateurs et Réalisatrices de Films, Belgium - André Buytaers, Administrator
10. Association of Directors and Producers of Montenegro, Montenegro - Ivan Djurovic, President
11. Associazione dell'Autorialità Cinetelevisiva - 100autori, Italy - Stefano Sardo - President
12. Belgian Screen Composers Guild, Belgium - Frederic Vercheval – President
13. British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA), England - Crispin Hunt – Chair
14. BAM! (Dutch Songwriters Society), The Netherlands - Pieter Perquin – Chair
15. BCMM (* Beroepsvereniging Componisten MultiMedia), The Netherlands - Johan van der Voet – Chair
16. БАФТРС - Българска асоциация на филмовите, телевизионните и радио сценаристи (BAFTRS - Bulgarian Association of the Film, Theater and Radio Scriptwriters) Bulgaria - Stanislav Semerdjiev - Chairman
17. Bundesverband Regie e. V., Germany - Peter Carpentier, Marie Noëlle, Katarina Schickling - Executive Board
18. CC Composers Club e.V., Germany - John Groves - President
19. Danish Composers’ Society, Denmark - Bent Sørensen – President
20. Danish Songwriters Guild - DPA - Niels Mosumgaard -Chairman
21. Danske Dramatikere, Denmark - Christina Bergholdt Knudsen, Director

22. Danske Filminstruktører/Danish Film Directors, Denmark - Christina Rosendahl-President
23. DEFKOM (Deutsche Filmkomponistenunion des Deutschen Komponistenverbandes), Germany, Micki Meuser
24. Deutscher Komponistenverband, Germany - Dr. Enjott Schneider- President
25. Deutscher Textdichter-Verband/ German Lyricist Association, Germany - Frank Ramond – President
26. DGCY – Directors Guild of Cyprus, Cyprus - Daina Papadaki – President
27. Directors UK, United Kingdom - Andrew Chowns, CEO. Steve Smith, Chair
28. DJBFA/composers and songwriters, The Netherlands - Susi Hyldgaard – Chair
29. DJV, Germany - Frank Überall- President
30. Drehbuchverband Austria / Austrian Screenwriter Association, Austria Eva - Spreitzhofer – Obfrau
31. Društvo slovenskih režiserjev /Directors Guild of Slovenia, Slovenia - Miha Knific – President
32. DSR Scenaristi / DSR Screenwriters, Slovenia - Matevž Luzar – President
33. ESIEMTH Nikolaos Karras - President
34. ESPEK – Association of Greek Film Directors-Producers, Greece - Elina Psykou - President
35. Estonian Union of Journalists, Estonia - Ms Helle Tiikmaa - Chair
36. European Composer and Songwriter Alliance - Alfons Karabuda - President
37. European Writers Council - Myriam Diocaretz - Secretary General
38. FAIC (Federación de Asociaciones Ibéricas de Compositores), Spain - Domènec González de la Rubia – President
39. FAIR/MediaSind, Romania - Leonard Păduret- President
40. Federation of European Film Directors, Pauline Durand-Vialle – CEO
41. Federation of Screenwriters Europe, David Kavanagh - Executive Officer
42. Fédération Wallonie Bruxelles, Belgium - Lorenzo Caròla – Directeur
43. FEM (Fachgruppe Ernste Musik des Deutschen Komponistenverbandes), Germany - Johannes K. Hildebrandt
44. The Finnish Music Creators FMC, Finland - Kaija Kärkinen - Chair of the Board
45. FLAC (Fédération Luxembourgeoise des Auteurs et Compositeurs), Luxembourg - Roby Steinmetzer - President
46. FNSI (Federazione Nazionale Stampa Italiana), Italy - Raffaele Lorusso - General Secretary

47. Fondazione Adkins Chiti: Donne in Musica (FACDIM) Valerie Susan Baxter - President
48. Foro de Asociaciones de Guionistas Auidiovisuales (FAGA), Spain - Ana Hormaetxea - Chair
49. FSC CCOO, Spain - Francisco Javier Jimenez - General Secretary
50. Greek Directors’ Guild, Greece - Haris Papadopoulos - Chairman
51. Guilde Française des Scénaristes, France - Pauline Rocafull - Chair
52. HDS (Hrvatsko Društvo Skladatelja / Croatian Composers' Society), Croatia - Ante Pecotić - President
53. Hungarian Composers' Union (Magyar Zeneszerzők Egyesülete), Máté Hollós – President
54. HPU, Hungary, Eva F. Kováts - Chair
55. Icelandic Composers' Society, Iceland, Þórunn Gréta Sigurðardóttir –Chair
56. IMAGO – European Federation of Cinematographers, Paul René Roestad - President
57. Impressum, Switzerland, Sina Bühler - President
58. Irish Association of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, IASCA, Ireland, Colm Quearney - Chairman
59. Israel Composers' League (ICL), Israel, Ayal Adler- Chairman
60. JUADN, Maria Antoniadou - President and Stavros Kapakos - General Secretary
61. Komponist Foreningen (Norwegian Society of Composers) Norway, Jørgen Karlstrøm - Chairman of the Board
62. LARS - Luxembourgish Association of Film Directors and Scriptwriters, Luxembourg - Claude Lahr, President
63. Latvian Filmmakers Union, Latvia, Ieva Romanova - Chair
64. Lithuanian Filmmakers Union, Lithuania, Arūnas Matelis - President
65. Musimagen, Spain, Dario Palomo - President
66. Netwerk Scenarioschrijvers/Auteursbond (Dutch Screenwriters/Authors Guild), The Netherlands - Pieter Bart Korthuis - Chair
67. NFF – Norwegian Film Makers Association, Norway - Sverre Pedersen – President
68. NFK – Norwegian Film Editors Association, Norway - Torkel Gjorv - Chairman
69. NFR – Norske Filmregissører, Norway - Marianne Kleven, Chair
70. NOPA (Norwegian Society of Composers and Lyricists), Norway - Ingrid Kindem – Chair

71. Norske Dramatikeres Forbund / Writers’ Guild of Norway, Norway - Monica Boracco – Chair
72. NUJ, The UK, Michelle Stanistreet - General Secretary
73. PCAM (the Society of Producers & Composers of Applied Music), UK - Paul Reynolds - Acting Chairman
74. Polish Composers' Union, Poland (Zwiazek Kompozytorow Polskich), Poland - Mieczyslaw Kominek Ph.D. - the President of the Polish Composers' Union
75. Österreichische Gesellschaft für zeitgenössische Musik (ÖGZM), Austria, Morgana Petrik – President
76. Österreichischer Komponistenbund (ÖKB), Austria, Alexander Kukelka – President
77. Samtök kvikmyndaleikstjóra - SKL (Film Directors Guild of Iceland), Iceland - Dagur Kári Pétursson – Chairman
78. Scenario, Switzerland - Jacqueline Surchat - Coordinator
79. Screen Composers Guild of Ireland CLG, Ireland, Sarah Glennane – CEO
80. Scriptwriters Guild of Greece, Greece - Alexander Kakavas – President
81. SDGI – Screen Directors Guild of Ireland, Ireland - Maurice Sweeney, Chairman
82. SFP – Stowarzyszenie Filmowców Polskich/Polish Filmmakers Association, Poland - Jacek Bromski - President
83. SFR – Société des Réalisateurs de Films, France - Marie Amachoukeli, Bertrand Bonello, Christophe Ruggia, Co-Presidents
84. Sindicato dos Jornalistas (RJ), Portugal - Sofia Branco - President
85. SKAP - The Swedish Society of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, Sweden - Alfons Karabuda – Chair
86. SNJ – Syndicat National des Journalistes – France - Vincent Lanier - Premier secrétaire général
87. Syndicat National des Auteurs et des Compositeurs, SNAC France - Pierre-André Athané – President
88. Société des Réalisateurs de Films, France - Marie Amachoukeli, Bertrand Bonello, Christophe Ruggia, Co-Presidents
89. The Society of Finnish Composers, Finland - Antti Auvinen - Chairman of the Board
90. SOKOM

91. Suomen elokuvaohjaajaliitto SELO ry, Finland - Sakari Kirjavainen - Chair
92. Suomen Journalistiliitto, Finland - Hanne Aho - President
93. Suomen Näytelmäkirjailijat ja Käsikirjoittajat ry (Finnish Playwrights and Screenwriters Guild), Finland - Sonia Meltti - Executive Director
94. Svenska Journalistförbundet, Sweden - Jonas Nordling – President
95. Swedish Society of Composers, Sweden - Martin Jonsson Tibblin - President
96. UCJ, Cyprus - Christos Christofides - General Secretary
97. UNCLA, Italy - Giuseppe Amendola - General Secretary
98. Unie van Regisseurs vzw, Belgium - Michaël R. Roskam & Stijn Coninx, Co-Chairmen
99. Union Nationale des Auteurs et Compositeurs (UNAC), France - Olivier Delevingne – President
100. Union of Magazine and Electronic Press Journalists, Themis Beredimas - President
101. Union des Compositeurs de Musiques de Films - Béatrice Thiriet - Secrétaire générale
102. Verband Deutscher Drehbuchautoren e.V. Germany - Sebastian Andrae, Prof. Peter Henning
103. Vlaamse Scenaristengilde / Flemish Screenwriters Guild, Belgium - Michel Sabbe & Dirk Nielandt
104. Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB), UK - Ellie Peers - General Secretary
105. Writers’ Guild of Ireland, Ireland - Thomas McLaughlin - Chairman