Hi all,
as for tomorrow just look for us around the food court called Logo Square and you will
find us!
Dimi
On 07.08.2013, at 10:35, Luis Villa <lvilla(a)wikimedia.org> wrote:
Do we have a room for tomorrow's event in HK?
Luis
On Aug 2, 2013 12:44 AM, "Dimitar Dimitrov"
<dimitar.dimitrov(a)wikimedia.de> wrote:
Hello, Wikimedians!
As expected, lots of busy bees have been flying around Brussels in July trying to finish
off things before the summer break. This made it a rather long read, but I am sure there
are worse things to have on your tablet on the beach :). Anyway, enjoy the summer (or
winter if you’re way south) and see you in Hong Kong or back here in a month!
Dimi
EU Policy on Meta:
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/EU_policy
tl;dr
From a Wikimedian’s perspective, the most significant events were the signing of two open
letters as a reaction to PRISM (by WMF and WMDE) and the Committee vote on the Collective
Rights Management Directive. This is the Directive that will decide whether it will be
legal for musicians to donate single pieces of music to our projects.
ToC
1. Prism and Data Protection - Reactions and Wikimedia actions
2. Collective Rights Management Directive - Committee vote passes
3. Licences for Europe - Inside the work groups
4. Net Neutrality - Leaked draft
5. Notice and Takedown - And now what?
6. Meet us in Hong Kong!
-----------------
-----------------
#PRISM #EUdataP
1. Prism and Data Protection - Reactions and Wikimedia actions
Why is this relevant?
As stated elsewhere, rights of privacy are necessary for intellectual freedom [1]. As a
major global information provider we are part of the “bigger” picture.
What happened?
As announced, the Wikimedia Foundation has signed a letter urging the US government for
more transparency as a reaction to recent surveillance debates. [2] Other signatories
include Mozilla, Reporters Without Borders and companies like Google, Facebook and
Microsoft. Wikimedia Deutschland has signed an open letter too, to “ensure respect for the
fundamental right to privacy and informational self-determination”. [3] Other signatories
are the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Creative Commons Deutschland, Transparency
International and Greenpeace. Meanwhile, there is considerable debate in Brussels on
whether Snowden could and should be nominated for the Sakharov (freedom of thought award
by European Parliament) and Nobel prizes.
What comes next?
The Snowden case has significantly changed the landscape for the current and future data
protection and internet privacy regulations. It would be wise to think about whether we
(the Wikimedia movement) have or should have clear positions on these topics in the
future, or, whether it would be wiser stay out of it for the most part.
-----------------
-----------------
#CRM
2. Collective Rights Management Directive - European Parliament Committee Vote Passes
Why is this relevant?
A new Directive aiming to harmonise the rules on collective rights management in the EU
is in the making (Full name: Collective management of copyright and related rights and
multi-territorial licensing of rights in musical works for online uses in the internal
market). Currently, many artists find it legally impossible to release single pieces of
music under free licenses, as collecting societies have “all or nothing”-clauses.
Additionally, in many Member States collecting societies are state-approved monopolies,
leaving no room for free choice. The current proposal might make it possible for musicians
to release even individual pieces of music under a free licence.
What happened?
The original Commission proposal did not include the possibility for authors to release
individual works under free licenses. In the European Parliament, Rapporteur for the lead
Committee (Legal Affairs) Marielle Gallo (EPP, FR) proposed [4] to include such an option
in her draft. This change was lost in a compromise agreement within the committee before
the the vote. However, an amendment by Christian Engström (Greens, SE) was somewhat
surprisingly accepted that will most likely allow free licensing for individual works.
[5]
What comes next?
The Legal Affairs Committee’s version is expected to be voted in the parliament in a
single reading plenary session in October. Then it will move on to the Council, where it
might again be changed. In the meantime, it would be helpful to canvass the Member States’
(Permanent Representatives) positions so we get a clearer picture on whether the Engström
amendment is at risk. The first possible review date for the Permanent Representatives is
the 2nd December.
Further links:
Procedure file on the CRM Directive [6]
General review of the Directive [7]
-----------------
-----------------
#L4E
3.Licences for Europe - Inside the work groups
Why is this relevant?
This is a consultation process by the European Commission on licensing of digital
content. It is seen as part of a larger initiative to completely overhaul copyright,
although there have been voices questioning the seriousness of such an intention.
Generally speaking, this dialogue must be seen in the context of the Commission currently
bargaining the agenda for a future Copyright reform - which aspects will we be on the
table in the next few years.
What happened?
At the mid-term plenary session the work done so far in the work groups has been
presented. The most relevant group for us - User Generated Content - has seen the European
Consumer Organisation (BEUC) leave the process and being replaced by a group that claims
to represent User Generated projects, but no one has heard of.
This is currently forcing all remaining civil society organisation in the work group to
consider whether they should stay on board of a “pseudo” discussion. Content-wise, the
talk dominated by industry organisations is going toward created more licensing for
user-generated content, on top of what we already have.
What comes next?
As Wikimedia’s core issue is user-generated content and the Commission is looking for new
civil society partners to join the consultation, it would be useful to decide until
September whether we want to participate or stay out due to the fact that we can’t gain
(almost) anything and the credibility of the process has taken numerous hits.
Further links:
We have a file on Licences for Europe on Meta [8]
The European Commission Page [9]
The European Consumer Organisation’s letter to Commissioner Barnier [10]
-----------------
-----------------
#netneutrality
4. Network Neutrality - Leaked draft
Why is this relevant?
Our mission is to disseminate Free Knowledge globally and we do so through our projects
(internet websites). How people’s access to them is regulated is fundamental to us.
What happened?
After years upon years of flip-flopping on the issue, Digital Commissioner Neelie Kroes
finally seemed resolute on a coherent protection of the neutrality of the internet. [11]
However, a leaked working draft of interservice consultation process [12] goes in a
completely different direction. According to the document it would be possible for website
operators to pay internet service providers to guarantee that their sites load faster (or
others are throttled).
What comes next?
An official legislative proposal is due to be published by the Commission by the end of
the year.
Further links:
We have a Network Neutrality file on Meta that can use your help! [13]
-----------------
-----------------
#NnT
5. Notice and Takedown - And now what?
Why is this relevant?
Notice and Takedown procedures define legally who is responsible for (allegedly) unlawful
content online and how to handle such cases in practice. It is very likely that the
questions of liability will be defined or refined if it comes to a Directive.
What happened?
It is presently unclear whether this Commission will go ahead and propose a Takedown and
Notice Directive. Regardless of that development, a Recommendation (non-binding) is in the
making and expected by the end of the year. Meanwhile, a group of 6 MEPs has released a
letter [14] urging Commissioner Barnier to go ahead a publish a draft Directive and not
hide the obviously heated discussions by shifting focus to a Recommendation.
What comes next?
There is not enough information for the moment to know what will be proposed and when.
However, if a Recommendation is made, there is no way to change it in Parliament and it is
up to each Member State whether they want to implement it or not.
Further links:
We have a Notice and Takedown file on Meta, which needs your help [15]
A good overview of the topic so far by
IPtegrity.com [16]
-----------------
-----------------
#Wikimania
7. Meet us in Hong Kong!
Me (Dimi, a.k.a. Dimitar Dimitrov) and Niko (Nikolas Becker, WMDE Board) will be in Hong
Kong to present the EU Policy initiative and the newly founded Free Knowledge Advocacy
Group EU. Meet us during the Pre-Conference on Thursday (8th) from 12-15 for an
introduction and see our presentation titled “Hacking Brussels” on Sunday (11th) in room
TU201 [17]. Also, chat us up wherever you see us!
-----------------
-----------------
Linkography:
[
1]http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=interpretations&Template=/Con…
[2]
https://www.cdt.org/files/pdfs/weneedtoknow-transparency-letter.pdf
[
3]http://www.stopsurveillance.org/
[4]http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/commissions/juri/projet_rapport/2013/510562/JURI_PR(2013)510562_EN.doc
(esp. amendment 36)
[5]http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-%2f%2fEP%2f%2fNONSGML%2bCOMPARL%2bPE-513.141%2b01%2bDOC%2bPDF%2bV0%2f%2fEN
(esp. amendments 252 and 263)
[6]http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?reference=2012/0180%28COD%29
[
7]http://kluwercopyrightblog.com/2012/07/24/proposal-for-a-directive-on-col…
[
8]http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/EU_policy/Monitor/L4e
[9]http://ec.europa.eu/licences-for-europe-dialogue/en/content/about-site
[10]http://blog.quintarelli.it/files/2013-00138-01-e.pdf
[
11]https://twitter.com/NeelieKroesEU/statuses/340020753510563840
[
12]https://netzpolitik.org/wp-upload/CONSOLIDATED-DRAFT-for-ISC-070713.pdf
[
13]http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/EU_policy/Monitor/NN
[14]http://ameliaandersdotter.eu/sites/default/files/letter_commissioner_barnier_notice_and_takedown.pdf
[
15]http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/EU_policy/Monitor/NnT
[
16]http://www.iptegrity.com/index.php/ipred/867-will-the-eu-act-on-notice-a…
[
17]https://wikimania2013.wikimedia.org/wiki/Schedule
_______________________________________________
Advocacy_Advisors mailing list
Advocacy_Advisors(a)lists.wikimedia.org
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/advocacy_advisors
_______________________________________________
EU-Policy-Announce mailing list
EU-Policy-Announce(a)lists.wikimedia.org
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/eu-policy-announce