What is European Copyright Directive? Simple Definition & Meaning

Definition of European Copyright Directive

The European Copyright Directive is an official instruction from the European Union that aims to create consistency in certain aspects of copyright law and related rights, particularly on the internet. It is also known as Directive 2001/29 on the Harmonisation of Certain Aspects of Copyright and Related Rights in the Information Society.

The directive is similar to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act in the United States. It provides copyright holders with broad exclusive rights of reproduction and distribution, and requires EU member nations to prohibit the circumvention of technical measures and devices that prevent the alteration or reproduction of copyrighted works.

For example, if a musician creates a song and records it, they have the exclusive right to reproduce and distribute that song. The European Copyright Directive ensures that this right is protected across all EU member nations, and that any attempts to circumvent technical measures put in place to protect the song are prohibited.

Simple Definition

The European Copyright Directive is a set of rules made by the European Union to make sure that copyright laws are the same across all countries in the EU, especially on the internet. It's like a big instruction book that tells everyone what they can and can't do with things that are copyrighted. The directive gives people who own copyrights the right to control how their work is copied and shared, and it also says that people can't try to get around things that are meant to protect copyrighted work.

Legal Definitions - European Copyright Directive

Definition of European Copyright Directive

Simple Definition