mastodon 4.6.9The Communia Association works to strengthen the public domain.
📢 COMMUNIA, together with 35 co-signing organisations, has published an open letter urging MEPs to protect the use of open standard licences for public sector information in the Digital Omnibus.
✉️Read the open letter and share it with your representative!
https://communia-association.org/2026/07/06/open-letter-protect-open-standard-licences-for-public-sector-information/
📣 Have your say on the future of EU copyright!
🗓️ The European Commission's Call for Evidence is open until 25 June, and now is the time to push for copyright rules that support research, education, culture, and the public interest.
In our latest blog post, we share our preliminary response with key reforms to ensure that copyright serves creativity, innovation, and the public good.
👉 https://communia-association.org/2026/06/19/call-for-evidence-on-the-future-of-eu-copyright/
To submit your own contribution:
🚨 Today, we are releasing The Post-DSM Copyright Report by Teresa Nobre. 🚨
The report
▶️ examines how Member States implemented key user rights provisions of the Directive;
▶️ reveals best practices;
▶️ also shows that uneven implementation remains an issue.
https://communia-association.org/2026/05/07/the-post-dsm-copyright-report-new-publication/
It's a wrap 🌯
Yesterday, the EP adopted its resolution on the upcoming ERA Act, sending a clear message that Europe is ready for a true "fifth freedom".
Now the ball is in the Commission's court to come up with an ambitious proposal that unlocks knowledge in Europe!
The resolution: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/ITRE-RD-784264_EN.pdf
Our priorities for the ERA Act:
https://communia-association.org/2026/01/13/submission-to-the-open-consultation-on-the-era-act/
Sausages often involve secret ingredients—and for your own peace of mind it may be better not to know exactly how they’re made🌭INI reports can feel the same way!
🗳️After months of negotiations, the European Parliament has adopted the Voss report on #AI and #copyright.
The final text includes a few improvements, but the overall outcome remains disappointing:
🔸Problematic provisions on press publishers’ content
🔸An overall lack of coherence
🔽 Our reaction
https://communia-association.org/2026/03/10/parliament-adopts-ini-report-on-ai-and-copyright-no-clear-path-forward/
📢 Join us at our upcoming event where we will discuss the legal uncertainty faced by developers of public AI systems and knowledge institutions and outline the way forward!
📅 June 1, 2026
⏰ 14:00–15:30 CEST
📍 TownHall Europe, Brussels
Register Now!
https://mailchi.mp/communia-association/event-copyright-liability
Our latest report by @3_justus@eupolicy.social on the EU’s out-of-commerce works framework is out!
It identifies key barriers to the practical application of Article 8 of the DSM Directive — limiting online access to cultural heritage online.
For the full report and our proposals for reforms under the upcoming DSM review 👉 Check out our blogpost:
About 2 millions Public Domain books are still locked behind exclusive digitisation deals.
The Open Data Directive meant to limit these to 10 years, but this isn’t enforced.
The Digital Omnibus is a chance to fix this:
▶️ make 10 years a hard cap
▶️ maximise transparency
😎 Only 2 weeks to go until our next COMMUNIA Salon.
📣 With the Commission's DSM review just around the corner, the future of EU copyright rules is on the table!
💡 Join the conversation on 7 May 2026
For this discussion, moderated by @paulk@eupolicy.social, we are happy to welcome:
🔹Teresa Nobre (COMMUNIA)
🔹Ana Lazarova (Digital Republic)
🔹Sabina Tsakova (Deputy Head of the Copyright Unit, European Commission)
Register now:
https://mailchi.mp/communia-association/the-dsm-review-registration
📣With the Commission's DSM review just around the corner, the future of EU copyright rules is on the table!
💡 Join the conversation at our upcoming COMMUNIA Salon on 7 May 2026
For this discussion, moderated by @paulk@eupolicy.social, we are happy to welcome:
🔹Teresa Nobre (COMMUNIA)
🔹Ana Lazarova (Digital Republic)
🔹Sabina Tsakova (Deputy Head of the Copyright Unit, European Commission)
🗓️ Register now:
https://mailchi.mp/communia-association/the-dsm-review-registration
At the last SCCR session at @wipo@bird.makeup, the African Group tabled a proposal for an instrument on limitations and exceptions.
🔍Our Legal Director Teresa Nobre has analysed the proposal against EU copyright law and found that they are closer than you might think!
👀Have a look:
https://communia-association.org/2026/04/09/is-the-african-group-proposal-on-les-consistent-with-eu-law/
Protecting individuals & performers against AI-generated deepfakes is an important challenge - but is copyright the right tool🛠️for the job?
The Commission shares many of our concerns regarding the Danish legislation proposal!
What's at stake 👇
https://communia-association.org/2026/03/30/european-commission-echoes-concerns-about-danish-copyright-proposal-on-deepfakes/
Last week, the third draft of the Code of Practice for General Purpose #AI was released. It contains a rather curious limitation, as @paulk@eupolicy.social points out on the COMMUNIA blog. Is web scraping really the only concern for AI?
Read more below ⤵️
https://communia-association.org/2025/03/21/is-web-scraping-the-only-copyright-concern-for-ai-the-code-of-practices-blind-spot/
Our May newsletter is out, featuring:
🔸The Post-DSM Copyright Report
🔸Past and upcoming COMMUNIA events
🔸How the Digital Omnibus could unlock Public Domain books
🧐 Read now: https://mailchi.mp/communia-association/communia-newsletter-may-2026
✍️ Sign up: eepurl.com/g8TTvT
Missed our Salon on the DSM review last week or would like to rewatch? 👀
Good news! The recording is now available! 🎥
Watch it on our website: https://communia-association.org/2026/05/11/video-recording-of-communia-salon-the-dsm-review/
How does copyright uncertainty affect research, libraries, and public-interest AI development in Europe❓
On 1 June at 14:00 CEST, join us in Brussels at TownHall Europe for a discussion on legal risk and liability in the knowledge ecosystem.
This event will bring together policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to discuss practical and legal pathways to reduce copyright-related legal risk. It will also mark the release of two research publications.
Register now: https://communia-association.org/event/copyright-liability-and-the-knowledge-ecosystem/
⏳ Last chance to register!
Only three days to go until our Salon on the DSM Review. Join us on 7 May at 15:00 for an engaging discussion with Teresa Nobre (COMMUNIA), Ana Lazarova (Digital Republic), Sabina Tsakova (Deputy Head of the Copyright Unit, European Commission), and @paulk@eupolicy.social (@openfuture@eupolicy.social)
Don’t miss out—secure your spot now 👇
https://mailchi.mp/communia-association/the-dsm-review-registration
📊 Our 2025 Annual Report is out!
Over the past year, COMMUNIA continued working to strengthen the #PublicDomain and improve #accesstoknowledge and #culture across Europe.
Learn more about our impact and read it here 👇
https://communia-association.org/2026/03/05/communia-2025-annual-report-out-now/
Our February newsletter is out, featuring:
🔸 All aboard the Digital Omnibus - direction unknown
🔸The EP's report on copyright and genAI
🔸News from ITRE in anticipation of the ERA Act
🧐 Read now: https://mailchi.mp/communia-association/communia-newsletter-february-2026
🖊️ Sign up: https://eepurl.com/g8TTvT
🗳️Earlier today, the ITRE Committee adopted a motion for a resolution that asks some important questions of the Commission's approach to the upcoming ERA Act🤔
🔽Our reaction to the motion, and what is needed for the ERA Act to succeed:
https://communia-association.org/2026/02/25/itre-free-circulation-of-scientific-knowledge-is-key-to-era-act/