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By David Branigan for Intellectual Property Watch

Some 145 organisations have signed an open letter urging European Parliament to vote against the Legal Affairs (JURI) Committee mandate to negotiate on copyright reform. The European Parliament will meet on 5 July for a plenary vote on whether or not to endorse the mandate.

In their open letter, the 145 organisations representing “citizens, startups, human rights organisations, publishers, creators, educators, cultural heritage professionals, librarians, and researchers,” call on Parliament to vote against the negotiating mandate, and “to vote for a public debate on the Directive,” according to the letter.

A recent Wikimedia Foundation blog by Eileen Hershenov details the threats that this mandate poses to a free and open internet:

“The requirement for platforms to implement upload filters is a serious threat for freedom of expression and privacy…

A new exclusive right allowing press publishers to restrict the use of news snippets will make it more difficult to access and share information about current events in the world…

The proposal does not support user rights, is missing strong safeguards for the public domain, and does not create exceptions that would truly empower people to participate in research and culture.”

The blog calls on people to contact their Member of European Parliament to urge them to reject this mandate at changecopyright.org.

David Branigan graduated in May 2018 from the Studley Graduate Program in International Affairs at The New School. His research is focused at the intersection of technology, public policy and human rights.