Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-11-26-Speech-4-071"
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"en.20091126.4.4-071"2
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"Madam President, for book-lovers in my constituency in the East Midlands and EU-wide, this is good news. I believe this is a book revolution about to begin, and I welcome the Commission statement.
The initiative by Google is an inevitable and logical step forward given the advancement of the digital economy with new market drivers and new consumer demands. I believe this kind of private sector innovation should be welcomed as long as it allows space for competition in the future and fair protection.
Libraries, whilst an important store of information, are vastly underused resources, with nine out of ten books not being accessed, and there are many thousands of books unavailable to consumers due to their being out of print or the non-viability of publication.
Online books will provide authors with the opportunity to gain some recognition and indeed some money back for their works.
However, the fact that this kind of settlement providing mass digitisation of books cannot be applied to the EU is one of the most illustrative examples of the EU’s fragmented copyright laws. We have to make a European copyright framework fit for purpose in the 21st century. Europe must seize the opportunity to take the lead and to ensure that the digitisation of books in Europe is facilitated, but also that the Google Books settlement takes into consideration European copyright law.
We should encourage European players into this space as well in different languages and genres. For those like me who like the feel of a page between their fingers, this will not replace the need for fabulous bookshops like those in my East Midlands constituency. Indeed, far from doing away with bookshops, the ability to access online books provides us with a whole new way of learning and access to culture.
Far from destroying our libraries, it will help them to be archived and protected and provide our consumers with more choice of how they access books for the education and pleasure.
It is an opportunity for authors to expand their market and their audience. I believe this is the beginning of a rediscovery of great works and the uncovering of a cultural explosion. It is something we should welcome and positively encourage."@en1
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