DRAFT VERSION

Briefing on key lobby issues (contd.)

1.    Digital Rights Management Systems (DRMS) - EBLIDA Position Paper

The Director gave a short presentation on digital rights management systems (DRMS).

The European Copyright Directive had to be implemented by December 2002. Since its adoption, the European Commission has been playing an important role in maintaining discussions with different stakeholders to discuss DRMS issues. A high level workshop was held in Brussels in February 2002. Four working groups were established on user perspective, technology companies, producers and publishers and collective management societies. EBLIDA has been involved in the process.

EBLIDA organised a one day briefing on DRMS in Amsterdam in January 2003 and issued a Position Paper in February 2003, which was approved by the Executive Committee at their meeting in Angers (14 February 2003). As stated in the position paper, a restrictive definition of a DRMS, which focuses on protection rather than management, may hinder libraries in managing access to their services.

EBLIDA Director attended a workshop organised by the European Commission which took place in Brussels in March 2003. At the meeting, special attention was given to issues such as levies, standardisation, security, interoperability, management, development and application of DRMS as well as the role of public authorities. She said that EBLIDA should take the opportunity and the commitment to make sure that the European Commission takes libraries into consideration when developing DRMS issues.

EBLIDA and its Copyright Expert Group will follow up and maintain dialogue with right owners through the Frankfurt Group and IFLA/IPA platform.

Toby Bainton, SCONUL, UK, stated that some important confusion arises when defining DRMS and technical protection systems which are two different things but really only one in practice. According to him, DRMS did and still do not exist as such. He invited EBLIDA to follow up further developments on this issue bearing in mind the two issues as separate as possible.

There were no further comments.

2.    Cultural heritage and Culture 2006

The Director gave a presentation on cultural heritage, cultural industries and Culture 2006.

Article 151 of the Treaty of Amsterdam (1999) authorises the EU to support cultural initiatives and fosters the development of culture in the member states. Article 151 requires agreement between Parliament and Council (unanimity) under the co decision procedure and is being revised under the work of the European Convention.


Cultural heritage and cultural diversity are becoming more and more relevant to Europeans. In view of enlargement, the European Commission has recently proposed to expand the current Culture 2000 programme, which ends in 2004, until 2006. Culture 2000 programme is the only framework programme whose legal basis is Article 151 of the Amsterdam Treaty. It covers very general areas which reduces library and archives interest in participation. EBLIDA presented its views at previous IGCs and during preparation of the Culture 2000 programme (See Position Papers and Statements).

The European Commission launched in April a public consultation which closed on 10 July 2003. EBLIDA has been invited to actively participate.

As a result of PULMAN and PULMAN XT, a proposal for a new project under the IST programme was presented to the European Commission by MDR Partners in April this year. CALIMERA stands for Cultural Applications: Local Institutions Mediating Electronic Resource Access. If approved, EBLIDA will be responsible for dissemination actions e.g. setting-up a website portal, networking. CALIMERA would facilitate and generate new forms of cultural and learning experience and ensure that local cultural institutions benefit from and contribute to facilitate access for all.

Because CALIMERA would give special attention to the needs of libraries, archives and museums, EBLIDA participation in the project would be an excellent promoting tool.

MEP Myrsini Zorba was authorised in 2002 to write an own-initiative report on cultural industries. The European Parliament Committee on culture held a public hearing on cultural industries on 22 April this year. EBLIDA director attended the public hearing however, EBLIDA did not reply to the questionnaire prepared prior to the meeting, despite being of major importance to cultural players. The Zorba report is to be adopted by the Culture Committee in June this year and by Parliament at their September plenary session.

EBLIDA will follow up the issue. The Director suggested that a new working group on culture was set up and invited members to make any suggestions and/or comments.

Mogens Damm, Chair, said that there were a lot of new ideas erasing to enhance European values and EBLIDA had a key role to play in the overall process of cultural development.