Grażyna Plebanek, President of European Writers’ Council, joined the EUIPO Conference on Copyright, on 21st and 22nd November in Alicante, standing up  for authors’ rights and copyright.

Human writing needs to be protected. Without culture, we, people, won’t survive.

Literature is not a burden, it’s an asset.

Why?

Copyright is important because Europe’s greatest future resource is our heads, hearts and minds – they need to be protected, as she declared in her Keynote.

The entire book market exists thanks to the stories we invent. Not to mention the theater and film industry.

Writers who are not protected by law will not survive in their profession.

What is important for a sustainable and prospering economy, culture and democracy?

1. Don’t force writers to opt-out. Only an opt-in is consistent with European values.
2. ⁠ Piracy must be fought to protecting writers, culture and economy. Any exception means less remuneration for a writer. For EVERY USE of our work we need to be payed.
3. ⁠ We need transparency and consequences – as long as there are no penalties against those using our property – there could be no justice.
4. Writers, as the one’s who are affected, should be a part of consultations about copyright.

https://www.euipo.europa.eu/en/landing-pages/conference-on-copyright

Conference Topics

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) invited EWC to participate in the conference to discuss and develop how to navigate “Copyright together in an Evolving Digital Landscape.

• The EUIPO is hosting a high-level conference as a celebration of copyright in the EU as well as an opportunity to reflect on the latest policy challenges in the field. It will help to build the momentum for a more coordinated and future-oriented copyright framework in Europe.
• Organised in close cooperation with the European Commission the event will also feature cultural and artistic performances to highlight Europe’s rich creative talent.
• The conference will also see the launch of the EUIPO Copyright Knowledge Centre. The Centre will serve as a central source of knowledge, bringing together tools and services to support the cultural and creative sectors in the digital age, inform the general public and EU policy makers, and address key challenges such as AI, the EU copyright infrastructure, and cultural diversity. It will offer a platform for guidance, coordination, and dialogue, connecting technical, legal, and policy perspectives.”