The body representing the rights management companies for Europe’s authors and producers says the European Portability Regulation agreement represents a mixed result.
The Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA) says while pan-European access to subscription services is a bonus, the final agreement risks opening up the regulation to abuse and eroding the territorial licensing system that underpins the financing of the European audiovisual sector.
Cécile Despringre, Executive Director of the SAA said: “This final agreement is not the safe and secure Regulation we believed the Commission, Parliament and Council were aiming to achieve in exchange for a new functionality offered to consumers with no financial benefit to the industry. It will be of utmost importance that this Regulation is carefully monitored in its implementation to identify any abuse.”
Although the SAA did not oppose the targeted objective of the Commission proposal, it is concerned the list of means to verify the Member State of residence includes means that do not guarantee residency on their own (such as a credit card). Second, the possibility for rightholders to authorise the use of content without any verification of the Member State of residence.
Given the market power of many services, SAA is unconvinced that many European rightholders would be in a position to refuse.
