European Commission Reflection Paper on Creative Content in a European Single Digital Market

Opportunity to respond

On 22 October the European Commission published a reflection paper 'Creative Content in a European Digital Single Market: Challenges for the Future '. This paper considers the challenge of creating a digital single market for creative content like books, music, films or video games.

According to Commission studies, a truly single market without borders for creative online content could allow retail revenues of the creative content sector to quadruple if clear and consumer-friendly measures are taken by industry and public authorities. The reflection paper – drafted jointly by the services of Commissioners Reding and McCreevy – outlines current challenges for three groups of stakeholders – rightholders, consumers and commercial users – and invites everybody interested to participate in a broad debate about the possible European responses to them.

The Commission has invited all interested parties to respond to this paper by 5 January 2010, for further information please see the press release on the Europa website. If you are intending to respond and would be content to share your response with us we would be interested to see a copy. Please send them via e-mail to Copyright Policy.

Separately, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is considering making its own response, but would be interested to hear views from interested parties on what needs to be said. If there is sufficient interest from stakeholders, we will convene a meeting on 7 December 2009 at 14:00 for a general discussion. Please let us know by 4 December whether you would want to attend such a meeting and we will then confirm whether it goes ahead. Alternatively you can send any written observations via e-mail to Copyright Policy and we will endeavour to take them into account.