IFRRO, together with EVA, EWC and FEP, invite you to save the date for the second Re:Start Conversations session!

Authors, publishers and collective management organisations in the text and image sectors will discuss, together with representatives from the EU Institutions, the importance of investing in a high-quality digital education ecosystem and how the needs of a democratic society can be met, as well as those of writers, illustrators and publishers in the education sector.  Education is the key to democracy, opinion-forming, freedom and social values. The Covid-19 crisis in particular has shown that digital access to teaching and education materials must also be possible. Authors, illustrators and publishers have for years provided innovative learning materials, including in digital format, that can be licensed for educational purposes. In addition, collective management organisations have developed complementary licences. The interplay between licensing, budgeting and accessibility is key to a sustainable policy approach that preserves the value of quality, independent educational materials. Licensing, including collective licensing, has a crucial role to play in ensuring a sustainable, educational ecosystem that enables publishers and authors to freely conduct independent and fact-based research, resulting in high professional standards.

A draft programme will be available shortly. To register please click here  For any queries, please contact veraliah.bueno@ifrro.org

 

Summary of the first Re:Start Conversations event on 17 March 2021

The covid-19 pandemic has impacted all parts of society and everyone’s private and business life. The cultural and creative sectors have been some of the worst hit – and have had to quickly come up with new approaches, creative alternatives and short and long-term solutions. The book and image sectors have proven to be particularly hard hit.

IFRRO, together with EVA, EWC and FEP, invite you to the first in a series of online conversations, at which authors, publishers and collective management organisations in the text and image sectors will discuss, together with representatives from the EU Institutions:

• the impact of the covid crisis on the book and image sectors;
• the ‘best practice’ initiatives from European countries that have successfully allowed both users (individuals and licensees) to access text and image works and authors and rightholders to be remunerated;
• recommendations to ensure the recovery, resilience and sustainability of the book and image sector – and to be ready for a Re:Start

Welcome:
Yngve Slettholm, IFRRO President
Opening speeches:
Sabine Verheyen, Member of the European Parliament, Chairwoman of the Committee on Culture and Education
Barbara Gessler, European Commission > Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture > Deputy Director-General, in charge of Directorates C and D > Culture, Creativity and Sport > Creative Europe (EAC.D.2), European Commission

Discussion panel: Covid-19: recovery, resilience and sustainability of the book sector

Chair: Yngve Slettholm, IFRRO President
Nina George, Novelist, President of the European Writers’ Council
Ángel L. González, Team Leader, “Technology and Special Projects Business Development”, Pearson Spain and Portugal
Carola Streul, Secretary-General of EVA (European Visual Artists)
George Andrew Zannos, Managing Director, OSDEL (Greek Collecting Society for Literary Works)  

Closing comments: Rita Brasil de Brito, Representative of the Portuguese Presidency of the EU – Chair of the Cultural Affairs Committee

Read the full summary here & here.