The EU IPO (European Union Intellectual Property Office) is the agency that is responsible for operating an Orphan Works Database, as laid out in the Orphan Works Directive.

Neither the Orphan Works Directive nor the OW Database have helped orphan works being digitised and used, which was the original intention. Wikimedia projects are a priori excluded from the scope and can't use the established exception. Only cultural heritage institutions are allowed to benefit and only after a diligent search (which no one really knows what it means). The database itself is less than usable. Launched in 2014, it now holds only around 5000 entries. The entries simply mention that a work is an orphan, but don't link back to the work or offer preview.

Now, the EU IPO is doing a survey on the database and the orphan works framework. Nothing of great importance, as the IPO can't propose changes to legislation and DG CNCT doesn't really listen to them anyway, but the survey is also opened to individuals. If you feel like having some fun:

https://www.tmdn.org/uss/466892/lang-en

Cheers,

Dimi