[Leica] INFO: Street photography in jeopardy?

[Nathan Wajsman]

Sorry, but this debate is tinged by alarmist BS (the worst was the change.org petition that arrived in my inbox yesterday). I see that even Le Monde uncritically reproduces materials from press releases without checking things for themeselves. 

The facts are:

- this whole debate concerns only COMMERCIAL use. Posting a picture on Facebook or your website is not commercial use unless someone pays you for it.

- the “freedom of panorama” where even commercial use is unrestricted exists is some European countries (e.g. UK or Sweden) but not in others (e.g. France or Belgium). The proposal from MEP Cavada is indeed to harmonise this across the EU, and since he is French it is not surprising that he wants to harmonise around the French approach.

Most importantly: regardless of what the EU Parliament votes today, there will be NO change in the law as a consequence. For that reason, the alarmist language in various petitions (I have seen statements like “in a few days, it could be illegal for you to photograph in public”) is pure BS. Why? Because the vote of the EU Parliament means nothing. It is just a non-binding opinion. The parliament cannot initiate a law; the right to propose laws is exclusively with the Commission. Once the Commission has made a proposal, then the Parliament and Council decide on it. But not before. The Commission is indeed working on a reform of copyright in the EU and will probably come out with a proposal in the autumn. Then, and only then, will the discussion of this issue or any other copyright-related issue become meaningful.

Cheers,
Nathan

Nathan Wajsman

Alicante, Spain
http://www.frozenlight.eu
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YNWA













> On 09 Jul 2015, at 08:04, Philippe <philippe.amard at sfr.fr> wrote:
> 
> I hope this amendment will fail later today. 
> Nevertheless, the article (in French) contains some precious info on what you can/can't shoot and use on the streets of Europe
> 
> http://www.lemonde.fr/culture/visuel/2015/07/08/la-photo-de-rue-en-peril_4674294_3246.html
> 
> Amities
> Philippe
> 
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