Landslide European Copyright Directive vote is a call to action for legislators globally to fix the Value Gap

Music Canada joins our European counterparts in applauding the European Parliament for today’s historic vote on the European Copyright Directive. The vote is a vital step towards ensuring Europe’s creators are paid fairly when their work is consumed online, and provides a strong example for other governments to follow to support their own creators.

“Congratulations to the European Parliament on today’s historic vote to create a framework for creativity to flourish in the digital marketplace. We also need to acknowledge the incredible impact of creator voices to this campaign – thank you to all of the artists who spoke up with such passion and honesty,” says Graham Henderson, President and CEO of Music Canada.

“Today’s landslide vote is a call to action for governments around the world – We must all act with urgency. The Value Gap is a global issue of critical importance to the current and future health of creators and the creative industries. Here in Canada, our Heritage and Industry’s committees have heard loud and clear from creators that the Value Gap threatens Canadian culture and needs to be fixed. These committees have done excellent work so far and they must seize this opportunity. Let’s close the Value Gap NOW!”

In 2017 Music Canada released The Value Gap: Its Origins, Impacts and a Made-in-Canada Approach. The first-of-its-kind report describes the Value Gap as “the significant disparity between the value of creative content that is accessed and enjoyed by consumers, and the revenues that are returned to the people and businesses who create it.” To protect the livelihoods of creators, businesses and cultures, creators and creative groups around the globe have been urging governments to enact legislative changes to ensure creators receive fair compensation for the use of their works.

The European vote comes as the Canadian government is conducting its own review of the Copyright Act. Numerous stakeholders have raised the Value Gap as a key issue at the Standing Committee for Industry, Science and Technology, as well as the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage’s study on Remuneration Models for Artists and Creative Industries. Additionally, through Focus On Creators, more than 3,700 creators have signed a letter urging the government to place creators at the heart of our country’s cultural policy.

A release from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada states that a “well-functioning copyright framework should enable Canada’s creators to take full advantage of the opportunities presented by digital technology, provide a supportive environment for business and investment, and position creators for success in a competitive marketplace.”

Music Canada is committed to continuing to work with the government of Canada throughout the review process to close the Value Gap here at home.