If voted through, permission would be needed from

A proposed EU law could see photographers punished for breach of copyright if they snap famous landmarks and works of art in public spaces.

The UK, and several other EU member states, enjoy 'freedom of panorama', which allows pictures of copyrighted works in public spaces, such as the London Eye or the Angel of the North, to be used both privately and for profit.

However, the proposed changes to EU-wide law would require snappers to obtain permission from the copyright holder, even if the landmark, building or work of art is in the background of a picture.

Blackout: The proposed changes to EU law would require photographers to get permission from the copyright holder which would make it illegal to publish snaps of landmarks such as the London Eye

The proposal has been met with criticism from several organisations and industry experts, branding the law 'absurd' and 'appalling'.

The restrictions are already in place in several EU countries, such as Belgium and France, where it is illegal to publish a picture of the Eiffel Tower at night as its light installation is protected by copyright.

The new law had originally set out to have the complete opposite effect, with Germany's Pirate Party MEP Julia Reda submitting a report last month intending to protect 'freedom of panorama'.

However, the European Parliament's legal committee amended the report to include the following: 'The commercial use of photographs, video footage or other images of works which are permanently located in physical public places should always be subject to prior authorisation from the authors or any proxy acting for them.'

Although the proposed law only affects photographs of copyrighted works used for commercial purposes, it could become an issue when private individuals upload snaps to social media networks such as Facebook.

If the changes are voted through next month, photographers would have to 'black out' copyrighted buildings and works of art, such as the Angel of the North, as is already the common practice in France and Belgium

'It is a complete invasion of our freedom of expression,' Charles Swan, intellectual properly lawyter and a director of the Association of Photographers, told The Times.

'It would be fairly disastrous and most of the British public, not just photographers, would think this was pretty horrific,' he added.

'This absurd, mercenary proposal takes the EU's regulatory impulse to new heights. It is an appalling impingement on basic artistic and cultural liberties,' Peter Whittle, UKIP's culture spokesman, told The Express, calling the amendment 'appalling'.

'It's extraordinary that at a time of such international turmoil, and while facing massive problems of its own making, the EU finds the time to put forward a serious restriction on the simple everyday rights and pastimes of ordinary members of the public.'

The Royal Institute of British Architects, who could potentially benefit from the law change through copyright fees, have also firmly criticised the law.