The reviewed EU copyright rules consist on the Directive on coypright in the Digital Single Market and the Directive on television and radio programmes. The Directives were published in the Official Journal of the EU on 17 May 2019.

All language versions of the Directive on copyright in the Digital Single Market and of the Directive on television and radio programmes are available in EUR-Lex.

The reviewed rules also include a Directive and a Regulation to implement the Marrakesh treaty in EU law that were published in the Official Journal of the EU on 20 September 2017.

Objectives of EU copyright Directives

Furthermore, the Marrakesh treaty implementation will make more books and texts available for people who are visually impaired or have other print disabilities in a format suitable for them.

The Directives will help European copyright industries to flourish in a Digital Single Market and European authors to reach new audiences, while making European works widely accessible to European citizens, also across borders.

The aim is to ensure a good balance between copyright and relevant public policy objectives such as education, research, innovation and the needs of persons with disabilities.

1. Better choice and access to content online and across borders

One of the key objectives of the Directives is to increase the availability of works for people across Europe, provide new distribution channels for creators and bring the EU 's cultural heritage to the forefront.

To achieve these objectives, the Commission proposed measures to:

Create favourable conditions for cross-border distribution of television and radio programmes online

Increase the availability of audiovisual works on VoD platforms

Facilitate the digitalisation and dissemination of works that are out-of-commerce.

2. Improved copyright rules on research, education and cultural heritage

Most of the copyright exceptions in EU law are currently optional and do not apply across borders. Also, some of them need to be re-assessed in light of today's technological realities.

The objective of the Directive on Copyright in the DSM is to modernize the EU rules applicable to key exceptions and limitations in the areas of teaching, research and preservation of cultural heritage, focusing in particular on digital and cross-border uses.

The mandatory exceptions that the proposed directive announced are related to:

Teaching activities

Text and data mining

Preservation of cultural heritage.

3. Achieving a well-functioning marketplace for copyright

The measures aim at creating a fairer market place for online content especially for press publications, online platforms and remuneration of authors and performers.

The main elements of the directive are:

Related or "neighbouring" right for press publishers

A reinforced position of right holders to negotiate and be remunerated for the online exploitation of their content of video-sharing platforms

Remuneration of authors and performers via new transparency rules.

More content for people with visual impairments or other print disabilities

In parallel, two legislative proposals, a Directive and a Regulation, have been adopted for the implementation in EU law of the Marrakesh Treaty, in order to allow people with print disabilities to access more books and other print material in formats that are accessible to them.

The Directive establishes a mandatory exception to copyright and related rights and the Regulation permits the cross-border exchange of copies made under that exception between the EU and third countries that are party to the Treaty.

Frequently Asked Questions

See the European Commission's dedicated page of Frequently Asked Questions on the new copyright rules.

FAQs on the Copyright Directive

Useful links

Press materials

Communication and legislative proposals

Communication - Promoting a fair, efficient and competitive European copyright-based economy in the Digital Single Market

Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on copyright in the Digital Single Market

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules on the exercise of copyright and related rights applicable to certain online transmissions of broadcasting organisations and retransmissions of television and radio programmes

Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on certain permitted uses of works and other subject-matter protected by copyright and related rights for the benefit of persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled and amending Directive 2001/29/EC on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the cross-border exchange between the Union and third countries of accessible format copies of certain works and other subject-matter protected by copyright and related rights for the benefit of persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled

Documents accompanying the proposals

Impact Assessment on the modernisation of EU copyright rules and Executive summary of the Impact Assessment on the modernisaiton of EU copyright rules

Other useful documents