Innovation Asset Blog

European Commission calls for copyright overhaul

In a recent speech, European Commission vice president Neelie Kroes offered a strong rebuke of current European Union copyright laws, calling for the development of a more relevant framework to align with recent technological innovations.

Addressing members of the Forum d'Avignon - a thinktank advocating for stronger links between cultural and economic objectives - Kroes suggested that current intellectual property regulation may be discouraging artistic innovation.

"Sadly, many see the current system as a tool to punish and withhold, not a tool to recognize and reward," Kroes explained, according to eWeek. "Speaking of economic reward: if that is the aim of our current copyright system, we're failing here too."

To turn around the current situation, and create a more relevant and functional framework, Kroes believes technology is the answer. According to Computing, the EU executive called upon IT professionals to develop efficient means of connecting artists and audiences while ensuring piracy protection.

One proposed solution was the creation of a secure database accessible only to authorized content creators. Cloud computing was also cited as a potentially valuable mechanism for ensuring the effective - and legal - transmission of content to remote viewers.

Peter Ackerman

Peter Ackerman

Founder & CEO, Innovation Asset Group, Inc.