©opyright control
The EU’s Copyright Directive will improve writers’ affairs if it comes into force in the UK, says Tim Gallagher, public affairs manager at The Society of Authors
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Copyright underpins the professional life of an author. Without a robust copyright framework enshrined in law, authors would not be able to fully monetise their work or make a living from writing.
But as technology and the media landscape evolve, this copyright framework needs to evolve with it. Over the last two decades there has been a revolution in the way we consume all types of media, and yet the last time the EU legislated on copyright was back in 2001 – long before Facebook, YouTube and Twitter even existed.
This is where the Copyright Directive comes in. The Directive, which was finally agreed by the EU in April after a lengthy and sometimes tortuous process, seeks to modernise copyright for the digital age. The Society of Authors has fought hard alongside other creators’ organisations to ensure that the Directive benefits authors by allowing them to claim fair shares from those who use their work.