Parliament Approves Proposals Empowering Government to Make Internet Copyright Laws

Parliament this Thursday approved by majority vote bills that empower the government to legislate to bring European directives on copyright and related rights to the digital market.

The vote was supported by PS, PSD and Chega, and against by the Liberal Initiative, PCP, BE, PAN and Livre.

The proposals mentioned, authorizing the government to legislate itself for the transposition of European directives, were challenged by these parties, who, in addition to some reservations about the content of the diplomas, protested the fact that their legislation was outside the scope of the Assembly of the Republic.

In the opinion of the parties that voted against, only a parliamentary discussion would ensure the necessary pluralism and representativeness, as it was deeper, more comprehensive and broader.

One of the directives concerns “copyright and related rights applicable to certain online transmissions” and the other concerns “copyright and related rights in the digital single market.”

Meanwhile, Audiogest – the organization for the collective management of phonogram producers’ rights – has already welcomed the approval of diplomas that will allow the country’s authors, artists and cultural producers to have a legal framework common to their counterparts in other European countries. ., allowing them to earn “fair rewards for content that is used on major sharing platforms.”

“Now it is important that the government continue this process with the necessary speed,” said Audiogeste director Miguel Carretas, quoted in a statement by the organization.

On Wednesday, the parliamentary debate was marked, in fact, by the delay in the transfer of directives, which should have happened by June 2021, and the fact that this issue is regulated by the Government, and not by the Assembly of the Republic (AR). ).

Minister of Culture Pedro Adão e Silva said that “the country has a lot to gain if a political consensus is reached that reflects the social consensus on the issues under discussion” and added that once the bills were approved, it will be started a formal public consultation process, which again gave the opportunity to various organizations express your comments.

When asked about the timing, the minister assured that “the government will start the consultation period very quickly, which will never be less than 30 days.”

The PSD, which voted in favor of the proposals, warned, however, that it will use the parliamentary and legal mechanisms at its disposal to oversee legislation and ensure that these directives, adopted four years later, are in the interest of the culture sector. creators and countries.

The Liberal Initiative opposed “exaggerated regulation of the practice of sharing content that is detrimental to individual freedoms”, while BE believes that the government’s proposal “recourses to vague concepts of remuneration of authors, artists, translators or performers”.

The PCP understands that the digital single market is “a tool to deepen disparities between member states” and that the proposals do not favor creators and creators from smaller countries such as Portugal.