Europe's New Renaissance: New Policies and Rules for Digital Preservation and Access To European Cultural Heritage

Abstract

The European Union (“EU”) has engaged in extended reform efforts of its copyright rules, including introducing new regulations and directives. The so-called “modernization of the EU copyright rules” has three articulated objectives: more cross-border access to content online, wider and easier use of copyrighted material in education, research, and by cultural heritage institutions, and improved functioning of the copyright marketplace. This Article focuses on European cultural policy and on the modernization of the copyright exceptions related to cultural heritage institutions. It emphasizes the transition from the current EU Copyright Directive, which provides specific exceptions “for the benefit of public institutions such as libraries and archives,” to the relatively more elaborate framework set out under the proposed new Digital Single Market Draft Directive currently under discussion at the EU Parliament.

Keywords: EU Copyright Reform, Cultural Heritage Institutions, Libraries, Archives, Museums, Copyright in the Digital Single Market, Draft Directive