[GSDI Legal Socioecon] EU Reflections on the development of the Digital Single Market in Creative Content

[Roger Longhorn]

Yet another view on the need for sorting out IPR and related digital 
rights management issues as soon as possible - if we (at least, "we" in 
Europe - but I think this applies globally, as well) are to get the full 
advantage of developing an on-line digital content market, which will 
have just as big an impact on products and services based on geo content 
as any other sector.

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European Commission launches reflection on a Digital Single Market for Creative Content Online

(22 October 2009) The European Commission today published a reflection paper on the challenge of creating a European Digital Single Market for creative content like books, music, films or video games. According to Commission studies, a truly Single Market without borders for Creative Online Content could allow retail revenues of the creative content sector to quadruple if clear and consumer-friendly measures are taken by industry and public authorities (see IP/07/95). The digital availability of content thus presents great opportunities for Europe, but also a number of challenges. First of all, regulatory and territorial obstacles still stand in the way of digital distribution of cultural products and services and can impede creativity and innovation. In addition, illegal downloads on a large scale can jeopardize the development of an economically viable Single Market for digital content; there needs to be much more encouragement for legal cross-border offers. Against this background, the reflection paper - drafted jointly by the services of Commissioners Reding and McCreevy - outlines current challenges for three groups of stakeholders - rightholders, consumers and commercial users - and invites everybody interested to participate in a broad debate about the possible European responses to them. Comments can be sent by 5 January 2010.

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When considering 'Creative Online Content", this also brings to mind the 
various ongoing debates regarding ownership in the IPR on "derivative 
works" - which is very important to the geo content sector of the 
information market - and still far from resolved in most EU members 
states, as well as globally, as it involves not only the public domain 
sector (that data which is legally fully open to exploitation without 
restriction) as well as works derived from geo data resources provided 
by the private sector and those government agencies which act as though 
they are in the private sector.

Kind regards

Roger