Film directors and screenwriters have urged the European Parliament to pass the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market.

A group of 165 film makers signed the Venice Declaration at the Venice Film Festival on Monday, September 3.

In May, the European Council’s Committee of Permanent Representatives finalised its position on the draft copyright directive.directive encourages collaboration between online content-sharing service providers and rights owners and allows European copyright law to meet the requirements of the digital age, the committee said.

In July, the European Parliament rejected the draft directive by a vote of 318 to 278. It is now up for debate, amendment, and a vote during the next plenary session, which is on September 12.

The film makers who signed the Venice Declaration said they have also signed a similar petition organised by the Federation of European Film Directors, the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe, and the Society of Audiovisual Authors. That petition is currently supported by nearly 19,000 people across more than 100 countries.

Source: WIPR