Support the Librarians', Consumers' and Innovators' Coalition

A coalition of groups representing librarians, consumers' and innovators have come together to support of a series of amendments that would fix the worst parts of the proposed Directive on Criminal Measures aimed at ensuring the enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRED2).

If you live in the EU, contact your MEPs and ask them to support these amendments at the plenary vote in European Parliament on April 24-26, 2007.

The coalition's amendments would:

• LIMIT the scope of IPRED2 to true criminal enterprises, involving copyright piracy and trademark violations done on a commercial scale, with malice and the intention of earning a profit from the enterprise, rather than criminalizing all intellectual property infringement as the current directive does;

• AVOID creating an unprecedented scope of secondary liability for Internet intermediaries, ICTs, software vendors and a range of legitimate business activity, by removing the words "aiding or abetting and inciting" from Article 3.

• PROVIDE LEGAL CERTAINTY by adopting precise and appropriate definitions of "on a commercial scale" and "intentional infringement" in Article 2 as commercial activity done with the intent to earn a profit directly attributable to the infringing activity.

Finally, remember to encourage the MEPs to REJECT the directive in its entirety if its current flaws remain unfixed.

You can read the full set of the coalition amendments here: http://www.copycrime.eu/amendments/

Timing is very important. MEPS are travelling to vote on amendments to IPRED2 in Strasbourg on April 25th.

WE NEED YOU TELL YOUR MEP TO SUPPORT THESE AMENDMENTS BEFORE APRIL 25TH.

Here's how you can help:

PICK AN MEP

Some countries have one MEP per district; in others, you can contact any or all of your MEPs.

To get started, pick one of your local MEPs from those listed for your country or region, and note his or her contact details:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members.do

FAX, CALL OR EMAIL YOUR MEPS' OFFICE

Call, fax, or email your chosen MEP at their Strasbourg Office.

TELL YOUR MEPS WHY THEY SHOULD CARE

Explain who you are (a coder? a consumer? a business person? a Net user?), and why you care.

For instance, tell MEPs if you believe that the EU should not be in the business of formulating European level criminal sanctions and that this should instead be left to Member States' discretion.

You could also explain how IPRED2 would:

• criminalise innovators that the entertainment industry claims "incite" infringement, including, potentially, open source coders, media-sharing sites like YouTube, and ISPs that refuse to block P2P services; and

• fail to give consumers clear guidance about how they can make lawful uses of works without fear of criminal prosecution.

TELL THEM WHAT TO DO

Whatever else you say in your fax, call or email, remember to ask your MEPs to:

"SUPPORT THE LIBRARIANS', CONSUMERS' AND INNOVATORS' COALITION AMENDMENTS TO IPRED2"

SPREAD THE WORD

Do you know anyone who will be affected by the proposed Directive? If so, encourage them to go to http://www.copycrime.eu/action and learn how to get involved. And don't forget to sign up for further updates by signing our petition.

Thank you!