The Mail & Guardian reports on the emergency measures that are being taken by the French Parliament to ensure that France complies with her EU copyright obligations. A draft bill will be heard by the Lower House today (Tuesday) and Wednesday, and then will go to the Upper House under a streamlined procedure. The bill will introduce anti-circumvention protection for CDs, DVDs and other digital media. However, to ensure that the rights of users are paid due respect, a mediation body will be set up to protect the interests of private users, and to make sure that the new legislation is only used against those who benefit financially from their activities. Individual users of P2P services would be subject to a graduated enforcement mechanism, under which they would first receive a letter or email asking them to stop file-sharing. Said French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres,
Totally free culture on the internet is deceiving, because remunerating creatorsThe IPKat isn’t a particular fan of anticircumvention legislation, but reckons that it’s only right that the French should meet their EU obligations.
is not only legitimate, it is also necessary for the renewal of creativity and
cultural diversity