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The European Commission is to propose drafting rules that would make it easier to put many books and manuscripts online, reports the New York Times. The move is a part of the commission's effort to bolster access to information and to encourage online businesses.
The changes would be aimed at allowing internet users to access out-of-print works and so-called orphan works for which it is impossible or very difficult to trace the rights holders, said Viviane Reding, the European Union commissioner who oversees the internet. Any new rules eventually proposed by Reding could also make it easier to acquire a single digital copyright covering the European Union, rather than having to deal with agencies in each of its member states.
But some reports see a possible split emerging, with Reding supporting the efforts of Google, the main private actor in the field, while Internal Market Commissioner Charlie McCreevy has called a hearing on copyright violations committed by Google Books in Europe.
A hearing will be held next month in Brussels on Google’s efforts to digitize major collections of books and the company’s proposed settlement with book publishers in the United States.