§ Mr. ChopeTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the implementation of the EU Copyright Directive. [83827]
§ Dr. Howells[holding answer 11 May 1999]: The draft EU Directive on copyright and related rights in the Information Society is still under discussion in a working group of the Council of Ministers. The Opinion of the European Parliament was given in February but the common position of the member states is not expected for some time owing to the complex and controversial nature of some of the proposals. Only when the Directive is finally adopted will we prepare the necessary implementing legislation for approval by Parliament, and we shall wish to consult widely before doing so.
The electronic environment necessitates international harmonisation of copyright laws and the Government have welcomed the broad thrust of the draft Directive. We are pressing for rapid adoption of the proposal, which will also enable the UK and the rest of the EU to ratify two new international treaties. However, there are concerns about certain aspects of the draft Directive including the treatment of temporary copies, the approach on exceptions to rights for a broad range of users, and provisions on technical measures. We are actively pursuing these issues in the Council and, in particular, continuing to press for more flexibility for member states in the area of exceptions. We are seeking to maintain a fair and reasonable balance between the interests of all the key players.