The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ),
the largest organisation of journalists in Europe, has welcomed yesterday's
decision by the European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education to propose
a ban on buy-out contracts.
This decision is the result of a vote on a report
on the online distribution of audiovisual works in the European Union drafted
by French Euro-MP Jean Marie Cavada.
The report backs a series of provisions
supporting authors, including the concept of an unwaivable right to remuneration
for all forms of exploitation of their works. It also calls on EU Member States
to ban buy-out contracts. These contracts, widely used in the media industry,
allow for journalists' authors' rights to be assigned to audiovisual producers
with no possibility to negotiate further use of their work in other media or on
different formats.
"This report is a signal that talks over
authors' rights in the EU can no longer ignore the need to protect authors,"
says Arne König, president of the EFJ. " Authors' rights must be reinforced if
the EU wants to sustain its creative works and support those behind it.
Freedom of contract cannot be the rule when it is obvious that parties do not
negotiate on an equal footing. This is the case for freelance journalists, for
instance".
The EFJ has launched a campaign on fair trade
for creators to denounce unfair contractual practices in the creative sector.
An online petition can be signed on http://www.ifj.org/en/pages/efj-campaign-against-right-grabbing-contracts
The committee's report will now be put for
the full endorsement of the European Parliament at a plenary sitting in
September. While the report itself will not introduce new legislation, it will
add to the pressure on the European Commission to act to protect the
intellectual property rights of journalists and other authors.
The EFJ is the European group of the International Federation of Journalists
The EFJ represents over 260,000 journalists in 30 countries
For more information contact the EFJ at +32 2 235.2200