Reports in the Western press have indicated that the European Union (EU) intends to make significant changes to the rules on publishing rights in countries subject to the EU law. Economists and specialists in the freedom of publishing are planning to draft laws that regulate and tighten control over the use and marketing of cultural and media materials.
Although legislation has not yet been passed, the proposals met with both praise and criticism.
The European Commission also proposed an option for digital channels such as YouTube to share revenue from publishers’ copyrighted material. The Commission said book and audio-visual websites are prepared to discuss licensing deals with copyright owners to help electronic publishers reach a larger audience.