The first ECS conference was held in Barcelona on Friday May 20, 2016: COPYRIGHT LAW FOR THE EU – An open debate with the European Copyright Society. Hosted by the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (and supported by Obra Social ‘La Caixa’) the members of the ECS discussed previously published ECS positions and new responses to ongoing consultations.

In addition to examining the reports issued so far by the ECS on the topics of linking as an act of communication to the public (Svensson), the harmonization of limitations (Deckmyn) and the remuneration of authors (Reprobel), we had the oportunity to debate several other issues regarding the harmonization of copyright across the EU, including those raised by the Commission in its Communication on A Digital Single Market Strategy for Europe COM(2015) 192 final, and in both public consultations on the Role of Publishers in the Copyright Value Chain and on the ‘panorama exception’ (March 2016) and on the Review of the EU Copyright rules (July 2014), as well as in the proposals for a Directive on contracts for the supply of digital content COM(2015) 634 final and for a Regulation on cross-border portability of online content services COM(2015) 627 final.

Topics were distributed in four panels, presented by the members of the ECS and open for debate with the audience. Details can be found here: http://symposium.uoc.edu/5205/detail/copyright-law-for-the-eu-an-open-debate-with-the-european-copyright-society.html