Creativity Works! reiterates the importance of territorial exclusivity for the creation, financing, production and distribution of creative content

17.05.2019

17th May 2019

Re: Creativity Works! reiterates the importance of territorial exclusivity for the creation, financing, production and distribution of creative content

Creativity Works! is a leading European coalition of the cultural and creative sectors. Our coalition represents writers, screenwriters, publishers and developers of video games, broadcasters, book publishers and booksellers, cinema operators, sports organisers, picture agencies, music and film/TV producers, publishers and distributors.

Following the final adoption of the Online Broadcasting Directive, we take this opportunity to reiterate and stress the importance of the territoriality of copyright and exclusive licensing to the creative sectors in Europe and to protect these principles going forward.

The ability to license rights on a territoriality exclusive basis is the backbone of a robust and competitive market for creative content in Europe. It enables our sectors to undertake high creative and financial risk, raise the necessary funding for development, creation, production and distribution, including tailoring our content and services to audiences’ language and cultural preferences. Moreover, the territorial exclusivity safeguards continuous/sustainable private investment in our sectors which are characterised by entrepreneurship and partnerships both on the creative and the business side, involving many European SMEs.

As it enters a new mandate, we encourage the European Commission to refrain from proposing any new limitations on the territoriality of copyright and the commercial freedom to license and offer services on a territorial basis; including extending the scope of the Online Broadcasting Directive. Such new proposals would only hurt Europe’s cultural and creative sectors. We urge the European Commission to go further in recognising the cultural and economic value which territorial exclusivity brings to Europe and to avoid disruptins of the market’s ability to meet consumer demands with unique creative content and innovative services.

Creativity Works! remains committed to maintaining a dialogue with the European Commission to ensure the sustainability of the European creative sectors going forward.

About Creativity Works! 

Like-minded organisations, federations and associations from the European cultural and creative sectors have formed a coalition: Creativity Works!. Its objective is to foster an open and informed dialogue with EU policy-makers about the economic and cultural contribution made by creators and the cultural and creative sectors in the digital age. Members are brought together by a sincere belief in creativity, creative content, cultural diversity and freedom of expression.