126 prominent screenwriters and directors across Europe, and their representative organisations, have come together to call on the legislators of the European Union to seize the momentum of the adoption of the Copyright Directive in the Digital Single Market to once and for all support Europe’s creators in the online environment.

The draft EU Copyright Directive is right now being negotiated among Member States and by the European Parliament. The vote on 27 March in the Committee on Legal Affairs is decisive to provide audiovisual authors with remuneration schemes for the on-demand exploitation of their works across Europe, as the sector has long called for.

Victor Bojinov, Isabel Coixet, Costa-Gavras, Dardenne Brothers, Agnieszka Holland, Christian Mungiu, Sir Alan Parker, Stefan Ruzowitzky, Bertrand Tavernier, Margaretha Von Trotta and Susanna White are some of the many screenwriters and directors across Europe that have signed the Directors and Screenwriters’ Declaration.

In the coming weeks leading up to the vote in the European Parliament and a General approach in the Council on the Copyright Directive, FERA, FSE and SAA will gather signatures for a petition in support of the Directors and Screenwriters’ Declaration to adopt an unwaivable right to proportionate remuneration for authors, collected directly from the on-demand platforms by the representative organisations of audiovisual authors.

Quotes

“Some countries within the EU and beyond, already have in place the right to proportional remuneration for authors, paid by the exploiters of the works and collectively managed, which demonstrates that it is possible and does not hinder or complicate the audiovisual exploitation chain. EU decision-makers should not only follow their lead but be the front-runner in supporting Europe’s audiovisual creativity” said Cécile Despringre, SAA Executive Director.



"Online exploitation is the future of audiovisual authors’ proportionate remuneration. But they are usually freelance, in a weak bargaining position when negotiating their contracts and therefore do not benefit from any "contractual freedom". Collective negotiations are therefore essential for them to finally benefit from the success of their works online, and effectively be part of the Digital Single Market.”, added Pauline Durand-Vialle, FERA Chief Executive.



“Audiovisual authors are disconnected from the exploitation of their creative work online, and struggle to develop sustainable freelance careers. It amounts to loss of cultural creativity, innovation and pluralism, which Europe needs more than ever. The EU can play a key role to promote its talents with the Copyright Directive.”, said David Kavanagh, FSE Executive Officer.

Notes to Editors

For more information and material see our campaign page.

FERA - Founded in 1980, the Federation of European Film Directors contains 39 directors’ associations from 29 countries. It speaks for approximately 20,000 European screen directors, representing their cultural, creative and economic interests both in Brussels and Member States.

Press: Pauline Durand- Vialle, pdv@filmdirectors.eu +32 491 52 49 04 @Film_directors

FSE - The Federation of Screenwriters in Europe is a network of national and regional associations, guilds and unions of writers for the screen in Europe, created in June 2001. It comprises 25 members from 20 countries, representing more than 7,000 writers in Europe.

Press: David Kavanagh, info@scenaristes.org +353 86 837 1203 @ScreenwritersEU

SAA - Founded in 2010, the Society of Audiovisual Authors is the association of European collective management organisations representing audiovisual authors. Its 31 members in 23 countries manage rights for over 120,000 film, television and multimedia European screenwriters and directors.

Press: Annica Ryngbeck, a.ryngbeck@saa-authors.eu +32 475 66 95 94 @saabrussels