Kroes calls for rethink on copyright

Neelie Kroes, the EU’s digital agenda commissioner, has called for a debate about reform of European copyright law, arguing that the current regime is not adapted to the digital age.

Speaking at a forum in Avignon, Kroes indicated that the interests of authors would be better served by the creation of a pan-European system of rights collecting that would allow the creation of pan-European websites to distribute content. Currently fees are collected by national rights collection agencies. Kroes said the current system favoured intermediaries rather than authors of works.