EU Legislation On Copyright For The "Digital Age" Faces Uncertainty

On Oct. 25, 2013, the European Council held a summit to discuss European Union policy developments including the creation of an effective "Digital Single Market" designed to overcome fragmentation of digital services along national lines. It concluded that provision of digital services and content across the single market requires the establishment of an updated copyright regime for the "digital age," targeting a completion date for its review of the current EU copyright framework of spring 2014. However, contrary to general expectations, there is an apparent lack of appetite for legislative reform.

The position of the European Council was confirmed by the Commission on Nov. 13, 2013, in the closing event of the "Licences for Europe" stakeholders' dialogue, an initiative launched by the Commission last year. The initiative gathered creators, Internet service providers, broadcasters and users' organizations of copyright-protected works in order to find practical