“As the European Commissioners responsible for shepherding Europe into an ever-changing dynamic business environment gather for an orientation debate on copyright, it is vital that the European consumer is not left behind. Blind to technology, today’s consumers demand access to the best content available. How or where content is accessed have never mattered less as long as it is easily available when and where the consumer wants it. As such, European rules need to follow suit and pursue genuine technology neutrality to secure a level playing field between all market parties, which in turn would foster both the creation and consumption of European content as well as investments in new and consumer-friendly technologies. For example, this would point to revision of outdated and technology-specific legislation such as the 1993 SAT-CAB directive and a more proportional and economics based copyright system that will foster new business models.

The application of rules should first and foremost protect content and place less of an emphasis on its specific means of delivery. Protection of content must not translate into the obstruction of legal distribution. With today’s technologies, it has become clear that we need a technology neutral copyright system. Moreover collecting societies will need to utilize available technologies to aid in an improved and transparent set of criteria for tariff calculation. This all comes back to a set of rules that are fair to the businesses focused on getting the best content to consumers in a fair and legal manner — and in the cable industry’s case, over a premium connection.”

Jessica Fernandez

Communications & Office Manager

Cable Europe/Cable Europe Labs

Avenue des Arts 41, 1040 Brussels, Belgium

T: +32 2 556 2104   F: +32 2 521 7976

E: jessica.fernandez@cable-europe.eu