Industry Press Releases

Memorandum of Understanding on the use of out of commerce works signed by EVA

Oct 06. 2011
07:10
by
CEPIC
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Signature of a memorandum of understanding in Brussels © European Union, 2011

On 20 September 2011 EVA (European Visual Artists) signed the Memorandum of understanding for the use of so-called out of commerce works together with other high profile stake holders ...

from the European libraries, authors, publishers and collective rights management sector and by the Commissioner for Internal Market, Michel Barnier.

The agreement between the parties is the result of a constructive dialogue between the main parties involved when books and journals that are no more commercialized by its original business partner are re-used through public entities. Illustrations in such works and on their covers play a particular role which has been recognized by all stakeholders. The Memorandum of Understanding particularly ensures that moral rights of authors are regarded by all parties.

In negotiations on collective license agreements between libraries and rights holders the visual sector shall be part through collecting societies specifically mandated by the visual authors. EVA’s members have long standing experience in negotiating collective agreements for the visual sector also in collaboration with CMOs for the text sector (RROs) and they have also created OnLineArt an International one-stop-shop for multi-repertoire and multi-territory licenses for art work that further facilitates the task.

Visual works play a role of increasing importance in the mass digitization of cultural content. 64%1 of the objects scanned and digitized by EUROPEANA are in fact visual works. EVA welcomes that the MoU facilitates that books will continue to be read, all by ensuring the visual authors’ economic and moral rights, says Christiane Ramonbordes, President of EVA.