Creative Commons (CC) applauds the landmark agreement reached late last week by EU legislators on the Digital Markets Act. Given the increasingly prominent role large ‘gatekeepers’ play in the daily lives of citizens and companies, CC believes it is important that a robust legislative and regulatory framework is in place to ensure a fair and competitive EU single digital market can flourish.

Reflecting on the trilogue deal, CC CEO Catherine Stihler stated,

“I am pleased to see the EU’s political leadership stepping up to some of the many challenges digitalization brings. Whilst acknowledging the many benefits for consumers and end-users of digital products and services, it is only right that legislators seek to ensure the right balance between enabling citizens and businesses to reap the benefits of technological innovation while also serving to protect from manifest unfair competitive advantages enjoyed by a small number of global players.”

CC particularly welcomes the focus in the agreement on interoperability – an essential feature to mitigate the barriers to sharing, enabling the free flow of information and helping advance innovation and access to knowledge. Keeping this element under regular review is also a sensible approach and will help to ensure that as markets evolve, the principle of the widest possible access and greatest sharing possibilities of information online is maintained for all.

CC was also pleased to see EU legislators were not persuaded by last-minute lobby attempts by press publishers to unpick some of the carefully crafted compromises reached in previous EU legislation.

Stihler stated, “I applaud the fact that the final text ensures the fairness obligation refers to ‘conditions of access’, but that there are no further references to ‘remuneration’ or ‘digital content.’”

CC supports fair, transparent and healthy market competition that generates and supports digital environments conducive to creativity and cultural diversity. We strongly believe the DMA is a step in the right direction in this respect and will help sharing of knowledge in the public interest in a way that protects people’s privacy rights and fundamental freedoms.