Today, CCIA joins with a broad coalition of groups representing consumers, creators, libraries, civil society, and the technology industry in endorsing the Copyright for Creativity Declaration, a statement of principles calling for European copyright law to adapted for the digital era. The Copyright for Creativity Declaration proposes consensus principles that its signatories believe should animate efforts to modernize and harmonize copyright exceptions so as to promote creativity, innovation, education, and access to information.
These principles recognize the crucial role that copyright plays in the knowledge economy, but also acknowledge that government-granted exclusive rights are not the only tool in our toolbox for promoting innovation and advancing public welfare. If exclusive rights impede other creative activities that serve the public interest, such as technology innovation, education, research and collaboration, preservation, or achieving accessibility for people with disabilities, then our copyright laws should be reformed to ensure that the social bargain of copyright continues to benefit both creators and society.
The Copyright for Creativity Declaration also envisions a future of European copyright law where consumers and industry alike understand that the rights they have are uniform across nations. For example, a copyright system in which valuable technology products and services are encouraged in one jurisdiction and yet infringing in another will only breed contempt for copyright when the transition to digital technology means that creators have become increasingly dependent on the voluntary compliance of users. A harmonized, commonsense approach to the respective rights of creators and users should inspire greater legitimacy and respect for copyright.
The Declaration and additional information are available here.