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Shahidul Alam is free!
Shahidul, social activist and photographer, had been thrown in jail in August 2018.
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Nordic Conference of Visual Authors
Conference and presentations are available here ...
Boosting Creative Europe - a joint call from 80 organisations
On 14 November, European Parliament approved EU multi-annual financial framework 2021-2027 and proposes substantial increase to Creative Europe programme,. Now call Member States must share this level of ambition!

Boosting the creative sector
On 5 November 59 organisations published a joint call to boost the Europe Creative programme ahead of the budget vote at the European Parliament on the EU's future budget 2021-2027. CEPIC is amongst the signatories.
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EU Copyright Directive in Trilogue: The Importance of Article 13b Article 13b (new)
Use of protected content by information society services providing automated image referencing

One venue, two events in Paris: CEPIC CONGRESS + PIXDAY
Join the largest networking hub for picture agencies worldwide and the leading picture buyer event in France from 5th to 7th June 2019 in Paris.

FOCAL International Board Announces Chair Sue Malden Steps Down
The Board of FOCAL International formally announces today that Sue Malden has stepped down as Chair. Sue has made unique and pioneering contributions to the Association and is widely recognised as an authority on the audiovisual industry. Her experience and knowledge has been invaluable and has led to many successes during her time as FOCAL Chair.

SmartFrame launches self-service platform to redefine the digital image standard
The SmartFrame platform, available on a freemium plan, transforms how users present, track, control and monetise images.

Announcing venue and dates of CEPIC Congress 2019!
Mark your agenda: the next CEPIC Congress will take place from 5th to 7th June 2019 and it will be in ...
IPTC fields now show next to the image in Google Images
On 26 September, Google launched an important change in showing images online : creator and credit of photos as filled in the IPTC fields will now be displayed next to the image in Google Images.

New Appointments at Image Quest Marine
Specialist marine photo library, Image Quest Marine, is re-launching with the appointment of a new library team.
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EU copyright law on its way!
On 12 September the European Parliament voted 448 to 226 the amended version of the Copyright Directive that was originally rejected on 5 July after the most controversial passages of the law have been watered down. If the directive goes through, it will be the result of 10 years of work to solve the "Transfer of Value" in the digital eco-system. What is in the directive for picture agencies and for photographers?

Copytrack announces exclusive infringement rights deal with news content provider WENN Media Group
Copytrack, one of the world's leading image rights enforcement services, and WENN Media Group (WMG), an international news content provider, announced today their future exclusive collaboration. Copytrack will provide WMG with the tracking and worldwide legal enforcement of copyright infringement.

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Copyright Protection in the 21st Century - It's all in the technology!
On the technical feasability of EU reform efforts - without censorship and upload filters. Just before the vote on the new proposal for the EU Copyright Directive, Copytrack addressed MEP's with the following letter.
Scott Braut
It is with much regret that we have read the sad news of the departure of Scott Braut of Adobe Stock.

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Copyright and US Tech Giants: What are the expectations in Europe?"
On 06 September, ahead of the vote on the EU Copyright Directive on 12 September and on behalf of authors society GESAC, Harris Interactive published a survey on "Copyright and US Tech Giants: What are the expectations in Europe?"
Bridgeman acquires leading Parisian Picture Library, Leemage
Bridgeman Images is proud and excited to announce the acquisition of the leading Parisian picture library, Leemage.
Getty Family to Acquire Majority Stake in Getty Images from The Carlyle Group
Transaction and Refinancing Expected to Enhance Getty Images’ Position as a Global Leader in the Visual Content Industry
ImageRights Boosts Operations to Tackle Copyright Infringement in Germany
ImageRights International Inc., the world's leading copyright enforcement service, intensified its image search and copyright enforcement operations in Germany to drive value for its global photographer and photo agency client base.
Google Image Search - Documentation -
Main Documents on meetings with Google since May 2017. Technical Committee.
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Copyright Directive: Facts and Figures
On 14 September 2016: the European Commission presents a draft Directive to modernize copyright in the Digital Single Market. A look back on two years and a look ahead.
Substantial growth for SmartFrame Technologies Ltd. Funding Round Completes Early and Senior Management Team Grows
“SmartFrame has developed a revolutionary, patent-pending new image format for the internet that seeks to redefine and become the ubiquitous digital image standard.”
Drain You: Copytrack Makes Infringers Pay for Stolen Nirvana Images
Rab Lewin is a photographer with a long career in music photography. He was in Berlin in the 90s and captured iconic images of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. Recently he found they had been stolen and used by Belgian TV, a global online news site, and others. Copytrack recovered fees for this misuse.
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Copyright Directive: Be Informed, Have Your Say!
On O5 July 2018 the European Parliament voted against the negotiation proposed by the Legal Affairs Committee, adopted on 20 June 2018, for the EU Copyright Directive proposal. What happens next?

Shamanism - Spiritual Guides for Indigenous Peoples from Werner Forman Archive
Many ancient peoples had holy men, called Shamans, to help them understand and engage with both the ‘spirit world’ and the actual world.

Bangladesh: UN human rights experts urge immediate release of photographer Shahidul Alam
On 5 August, Shahidul Alam was arrested in his house in Dhaka, hours after a Al Jezeera released an interview with him on the demonstrations in Bangladesh. The UN Human Rights expert urge for his release.
IMAGERIGHTS ANNOUNCES NEW APPOINTMENTS TO ADVISORY BOARD
Bruce Stangle And Kevin McCurry To Counsel On Market Strategy And Corporate Initiatives
C-161/17 – Córdoba The CJEU decision is positive for photographers
In the "Cordoba" case, the CJEU has confirmed that Internet users must ask for a photographer’s permission before publishing their images, even if the photos were already freely accessible elsewhere online.
Fairsearch.org website updated
Fairsearch.org a group of businesses and organizations united to promote economic growth, innovation and choice across the Internet ecosystem by fostering and defending competition in online and mobile search has updated their website.
The OIP welcomes the European Commission’s Android decision against Google
Open Internet Project (OIP), formal complainant in the Android investigation since March 2017, welcomes the decision taken today by the European Commission against Alphabet/Google, prohibiting Google’s abusive practices regarding its mobile operating system Android.
Chasing the smart photo...
The web is a Wild West environment for images, with unauthorised uses on a massive scale, and a perception by many users that copyright is no longer relevant. So what is a Smart Photo in this environment?
EU Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market
On 05 July 2018 the European Parliament voted against the negotiation proposed by the Legal Affairs Committee, adopted on 20 June 2018, for the EU Copyright Directive proposal. CEPIC regrets this rejection following four years of tireless work with EU institutions but will continue to work towards a balanced solution for a fair online marketplace for the creative sector and against online piracy.

ARDITO: Upgrading the Internet
ARDITO no longer a project, but a service! We are happy to announce that the “ARDITO: Upgrading the Internet” conference on 19 June was a success! Thanks to everyone who contributed and participated, and especially to our guest and keynote speaker MEP Henna Virkkunen.

We Need an Internet that is Fair and Sustainable for ALL!
CALL TO HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
dpa Picture-Alliance and Getty Images announce strategic distribution partnership
Getty Images will distribute over a century’s worth of definitive moments from dpa Picture-Alliance’s coverage of German politics, sports, entertainment and more
Getty Images launch campagin to approve new Copyright Directive
Getty Images, along with CEPIC and others in our industry, firmly supports the proposed new Copyright Directive because we believe that without compensation, creativity and commerce cannot thrive.

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Article 13: the overdue facelift for copyright law online
before getting wild with the retweet fearing the Internet is about die - let’s look how this new proposal could save photographers and other creators, and how all this scaremongering is misconceived.
Copyright: MEPs update rules for the digital age
Plans to update of EU copyright rules for today’s online world and ensure fair pay for artists and journalists were backed bv the Legal Affairs Committee on Wednesday.

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CEPIC Meeting with Google 31 May 2018
Meetings with Google on 31 May 2018 on the Google Image Search

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Recent changes to the Google Image Search mean improvement for sites owners
This article summarizes the recent positive developments in Google Image Search.

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CEPIC Meeting with Google 31 May 2018
CONFIDENTIAL - Meeting between the Board of CEPIC and Google in May 2018.

European Commercial Broadcasters across Europe look to EU Parliament to address short-comings of Council position on Copyright dossier
Associations of commercial broadcasters across Europe (ACT, ABBRO, AKTV, ARCA, and the commercial broadcasters associated in CRTV) express their concerns regarding the Council negotiation mandate and the legal uncertainty that will result from it.

Support Creation! Sign the Petition! European Parliament to vote on new copyright directive
Only a few weeks are left before the European Parliament votes on the "Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market". More than 29,000 creators from all over Europe have signed the petition already, calling on their elected officials to do the right thing.

Winners of Garment District Alliance Contest Will Win ImageRights Membership
This October will mark the 15th year of our Annual garment District Arts Festival, and to celebrate, we're calling for submissions to create a high altitude gallery, right here in midtown Manhattan.
The OIP calls for fair and equal treatment of digital businesses and efficient tools against monopolies’ abuses
On May 15th 2018, the Open Internet Project held a conference “In the aftermath of the Google Search (Comparison Shopping) decision: Fair and equal treatment of digital businesses” in Brussels, with the participation of MEPs Dr. Andreas Schwab, EPP Coordinator in the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee and Mr. Ramon Tremosa i Balcells, Liberal ECON coordinator, member of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee.

Isopix and Belga Image sign a cooperation agreement
Belga and Isopix both have a strong local and international photo production that is supplemented daily with hundreds of new images from various sectors such as Belgian current affairs, sports, people, portraits, stock photography and images from numerous niche sectors.
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CEPIC at Open Internet Project conference in Brussels
On the 15th of May CEPIC took part in the Open Internet Project (OIP) conference on the seminar “In the aftermath of the Google Search decision: fair and equal treatment for digital business”
Historian of photography & Investigative Filmmaker to capture CEPIC Congress for research
Estelle Blaschke, together with her colleagues, and the Armin Linke Studio team, are seeking to attend the CEPIC Congress in aid of documenting this important and devoting turning point in a historical moment of new possibilities and technologies of distribution of photography and visual content.
Google partners with CEPIC to host Google Images Workshop at CEPIC Congress 2018
As part of its annual Congress on 31.05.2018, CEPIC is partnering with Google and IPTC to host two sessions, both of which are open to the public, focusing on how visual authors can leverage Google Images.
Statement by Vice-President Ansip and Commissioner Jourová ahead of the entry into application of the General Data Protection Regulation
As of tomorrow, 25 May, new data protection rules will apply across the EU.

Bridgeman acquires specialist music and arts agency LEBRECHT Photo Library
Bridgeman is proud and excited to announce the acquisition of Lebrecht Photo Library, the world’s largest image bank for classical music and related arts, with a collection of over 400,000 specialist images.

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Open Letter: Latest Bulgarian Presidency proposal on copyright leaves authors and rights holders worse-off
Open Letter: Latest Bulgarian Presidency proposal on copyright leaves authors and rights holders worse-off.
Annual General Meeting 2018
In this post, you will find the main documents for the Annual General Meeting 2018.

Only 3% of images published on the web have credit or copyright metadata
A new study by IMATAG reveals some staggering facts and will grab the attention of anyone who publishes photographs on the web.
Summary report of the public consultation on Europeana, Europe’s Digital Platform for Cultural Heritage
Following the Council Conclusions of 31 May 2016 on the role of Europeana for the digital access, visibility and use of European cultural heritage, the European Commission launched an independent evaluation of Europeana.

agefotostock appoints Yolanda Sandoval as Business Development Manager
Following the launch of their new web that simplifies their business in three primary business areas, Press, Creative and Economic imagery, what has always been a creative stock photography agency, now appoints Yolanda Sandoval for their office in Madrid to handle the business development of a crucial business area that they have recently branched into.

agefotostock presents a new website displaying Press Images and a Simplified Business Model
Press and news images, creative photographs and a mountain of other visual content that goes from cheap to very cheap, defined as Microstock, although if we want to go lower on pricing, we can also find masses of free pictures from unknown, if not desperate authors, produced to generate internet traffic.
Consultation on online platforms open until 25 June
The public consultation on measures to further improve the effectiveness of the fight against illegal content online will run until June 25.
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JOINT Statement on the advocate general’s opinion of 25.04.18 (C-161/17 – Córdoba)
On 25 April 2018, the Advocate General of the CJEU delivered his Opinion on whether a (visual) work first copied from a freely accessible website to a home server and then uploaded to another website constitutes a “communication to the public“.

Google Image Workshop To Take Place At CEPIC Congress 2018
On Thurday, 31 May 2018, at CEPIC Congress, Google will present the latest developments on Google Images "to strike a balance between serving user needs and publisher concerns" and how tools can be best used to search, find and make searchable images online.
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Where are we with the DSM Directive?
The DSM Directive was published in September 2016. How far is the consultation process and has the Directive any chance of going through? Lobbying in Brussels Explained
The Copyright Hub is looking for a CEO
The Copyright Hub is looking for a CEO to shape and drive its vision for the future of online licensing.
Audiovisual media services: breakthrough in EU negotiations for modern and fairer rules
The European Parliament, Council and Commission have reached a preliminary political agreement on the main elements of revised rules to apply to audiovisual media across Europe.
Brendan Quinn named as new IPTC Mangaing Director
The International Press Telecommunications Council (IPTC) has named Brendan Quinn as its new managing director.Quinn joins the IPTC with two decades of experience in managing technology for media companies
Entries for the CEPIC Stock Photography Awards are officially closed
That’s all folks! Entries for the CEPIC Stock Photography Awards are officially closed! It was another fantastic year with over 9,500 entries! Here are the final figures for the entries...

Expand Keywording Feature Enhances National Portrait Gallery Image Licensing Website
The National Portrait Gallery has enhanced the keywording feature on its licensing website so the Collection can now be searched using one or more key words. The Gallery holds the most extensive collection of portraits in the world.

Concerns that the latest Council Presidency proposals won't create a balanced market for creators
CEPIC joins open letter that highlights concerns with the new Council Presidency proposals. Below is the letter that was sent to Deputy Permanent Representatives, copyright experts of the working group as well as key people from DG CNNCT (C. Bury, G. Abbamonte, M. Giorello), Cabinets (Jorgen Gren, Eric Peters and Manuel Mateo) and Pauline Rouch from the EC Secretariat General. It highlights the main causes of concerns, in hopes that the ambassador we recognize them and alters them to create a balanced market for creators.
CEPIC attends Open Internet Project conference in Brussels
On the 15th of May CEPIC will be in Brussels taking part in the Open Internet Project (OIP) conference. We will be talking on the seminar “In the aftermath of the Google Search decision: fair and equal treatment for digital business”.
ACT: A step towards greater editorial responsibility online
The Association of Commercial Television in Europe (ACT) welcomes the Commission’s Communication on tackling online disinformation. The Communication is a welcome first step towards addressing the major challenges disinformation raises and its root causes.
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Creativity Works! works to improve rightholders’ exclusive rights in favour of online platforms
Creativity Works! calls on Member States to refrain from restricting rightholders’ exclusive rights in favour of certain online platforms; discussions on Copyright Directive must continue to resolve fundamental issues.

"I have always believed in high end premium content" Interview with Christina Vaughan, Former CEPIC President and Image Source Founder
Former President of CEPIC and Vice President of DMLA, she is this year a Patron for Vote100, celebrating 100 years since Women got the vote in the UK. She is aiming to channel these experiences and energy to reinvigorate Image Source as well as share her experience of Start-Ups and Growth Businesses as a Speaker at the CEPIC Innovation day in Berlin on 30th May.

Belgaimage launches new video platform
Footage shot by our (video) journalists: sports, politics, entertainment,...
Acclaimed fine art photographer David Yarrow goes live with SmartFrame March 2018
Anyone who knows anything about photography will know all too well about David Yarrow and the success he has had in his career to date. Having published three photographic books including “Nowhere” “Encounters” and “Wild Encounters,” his impactful imagery of wildlife and alien cultures triggers powerful emotional responses in people – often awe and wonder.

"Grand Dame of the photographic industry" passes away
The last descendant of Keystone co-founder Bert Garai Agnes Garai passed away on the 5th of April from a heart attack (AMI) while swimming. A private funeral and cremation took place on the 6th of April 2018, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“It’s our mission to provide our photographers with a safe home for their images” Westend61 Interview
Westend61 offer an easy-to-use service for anyone looking for images with a wide-range selection of images for every purpose. Here’s what Westend 61 had to say to Copytrack about their agency and experiences chasing image theft with Copytrack.
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TravelEra, Exhibition Travel Bureau and ExpoServices: suspected scam CEPIC 2018
Please do not book any accommmodation through TravelEra as they have no business relation with CEPIC or the Maritim proArte hotel.

World Press Photo of the Year Award won by Ronaldo Schemidt
The World Press Photo of the Year honors the photographer whose visual creativity and skills made a picture that captures or represents an event or issue of great journalistic importance in the last year.

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Boosting the EU culture budget – A call from Europe’s Cultural & Creative Sectors
CEPIC along with over 50 other cultural orignisations have joined the campaign to ask for better funding for the EU cultural industry. After concerns that the culture budget was minimal in comparison to the impact and jobs the field created.

Agnes Garai (1926 -2018)
It is with immense sadness that Agencia Keystone & Grupo Keystone Brazil announces the passing of its Director, of over 50 years, Agnes Garai.

Image rights portal and Copyright Register Copytrack cooperates with Photochain.io
Copytrack plan their first cooperation for their blockchain based Global Copyright Register. As part of this cooperation, Photochain.io will be the first use case to untilize the service ran by the global market leader for handling online image rights.
Pixelrights Sold as SmartFrame Focus On Redefining Digital Image Standards
SmartFrame have just released the news that they have sold their platform Pixelrights saying “This move allows us to focus our full resource on our unique SmartFrame technology and the delivering of our mission to Redefine the Digital Image Standard.”
Dreamstime Files Antitrust Lawsuit Challenging Google’s Abuse of its Online Search Advertising Services Monopoly
Dreamstime, leader in stock photography, announced that it filed a lawsuit in the federal district court in San Jose, California against Internet online search advertising giant Google.

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Controversial Swedish Copyright Case Raises Question About Originality
Photographer, Jonas Lemberg, accused the painter, Markus Andersson, of abusing his copyright after the oil painter recreated his portrait of the famed Christer Pettersson with the brush adding only a goat to the background. The verdict now questions the understandings of the copyright law.

CEPIC Attending 2018 London Fotofringe
CEPIC is pleased to announce that we will be attending this year's London Fotofringe! This is a great opportunity for us to meet and greet those in the image industry and introduce our work to those that it affects.

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Finally act against Google’s anti-competitive practices
Google keeps users to itself, and no longer plays the role of an intermediary to direct users to the vast wealth of Internet websites. It captures them and directly offers content produced by others, depriving them of their intellectual property rights.

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Pyramide Europe Joins Open Letter Against Framing
We're very happy to announce that Pyramide Europe has joined the battle against framing. Alongside CEPIC, EFJ, and EVA, Pyramide Europe are working to protect creators by highlighting and bringing an end to image framing/embedding.
Join the IPTC 2018 Spring Meeting in Athens
The IPTC Spring Meeting takes place in April aiming to discuss and develop their ideas to support the rapid innovation of the media and the news industry in particular.

ImageRights President and CEO Joe Naylor Tapped as Chairperson of DMLA Technology Committee
ImageRights President and CEO Joe Naylor has been appointed Chairperson of Digital Media Licensing Association (DMLA) Technology Committee. The announcement was made by DMLA President Geoff Cannon.

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CEPIC, EFJ, & EVA: Joint letter on Framing to the European Parliament Legal Affairs Committee
CEPIC, the European Federation of Journalists and EVA for visual authors have signed a common open letter to the members of the European Parliament to attract their attention on the issue of Framing/ Embedding of Pictures. The jurisprudence set by the Court of Justice of the European Union on the use of framing/embedding technology must urgently be corrected by the European legislator.
A Europe that protects: Commission reinforces EU response to illegal content online
In its Communication of September 2017 on tackling illegal content online, the European Commission promised to monitor progress in tackling illegal content online and assess whether additional measures are needed to ensure the swift and proactive detection and removal of illegal content online, including possible legislative measures to complement the existing regulatory framework.
Authors’ Group Study: Copyright Safe Harbour Provisions Distort Market
Copyright “safe harbour” rules, drawn up a quarter of a century ago to help nurture early online commerce, are today distorting the digital market, profiting tech giants and leading to significant underpayment of copyright owners, a new US economic study says.
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Proof of Existence Is Not Proof of Ownership
A view on Blockchain v. Copyright Registration in the USA.
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EU Copyright Directive: Meeting with European Commission on Framing
Alfonso Gutierrez, Sylvie Fodor, Marisol Muniz meeting with Manuel Mateo and Sarah Jacquier, February 2018
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On the Google-Getty agreement
CEPIC has received with interest the news about a cooperation agreement which has been reached between Getty Images and Google Inc., two leaders in their respective field.
Getty Images and Google Announce a New Partnership
Getty Images, a world leader in visual communication, and Google today announced an agreement that includes a multi-year global licensing partnership, enabling Google to use Getty Images' content within its various products and services.
Dreamstime, World's Largest Community in Stock Photography, Hits 20 Million Users
The company has also redesigned its blog to help designers unlock the full potential of their work and get noticed
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Creative industries call to ensure a level playing field in the DSM - Joint statement to the Bulgarian presidency - 30 January 2018
Letter to the Bulgarian Presidency of the European Union

CEPIC 2026
Building on the success of previous years, CEPIC 2026 promises to be our most exciting event yet. Three days of business, connection, and inspiration in the vibrant city of Valencia, Spain. This unmissable gathering brings together visual media professionals to explore new opportunities, share ideas, and shape the future of the image licensing industry.