Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 October 2023
165. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the review, promised within 12 months of its transposition, into the impact of the European Copyright Directive was conducted; if he will publish it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43948/23]
View answerI propose to take the two questions together.
The Report of the Future of Media Commission was published in July 2022. Recommendation 6-9 relates to the implementation the Copyright Directive, an assessment of its effectiveness and further action being taken if necessary. Directive (EU) 2019/790 was transposed into Irish law by way of the European Union (Copyright and Related Rights in the Digital Single Market) Regulations 2021, Statutory Instrument No. 567 of 2021. The Regulations were signed by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment on 12 November 2021 and are therefore applicable from that date.
The Future of Media Commission Report – Implementation Strategy and Action Plan was published in January 2023. In relation to Recommendation 6-9, my Department will use the Stakeholder Consultation Forum (as outlined in Chapter 7 of the Report of the Future of Media Commission) as a mechanism to consult with stakeholders on the operation of the Copyright Directive in practice and to seek views on potential for changes to the operation of the Irish legislation. This specifically relates to an assessment of the actual and forecast economic benefits flowing to Irish press publishers as a result of negotiated agreements as set out in Article 15 of the Directive (Protection of press publications concerning online uses) which was transposed by way of Regulation 13 of the Statutory Instrument. My Department is currently preparing this focused review which will be published on my Department’s website within the coming weeks.
In addition, Article 30 of the Copyright Directive obliges the EU Commission to review the Directive’s implementation no sooner than June 2026. As part of this review, my Department will engage with the European Commission in order to ensure that the Commission’s review takes account of issues raised in the context of the forthcoming focused review here in Ireland.
