Intellectual property rights and the eu single market

Building on previous policy proposals,53 the commission proceeded by way of a two-pronged approach to promote the digitisation and making available of the collections of european cultural institutions (libraries, museums and archives). two initiatives were launched to facilitate the digitisation of copyright works, a proposal for a directive on ‘orphan works’ and a stakeholder dialogue on ‘out-of-commerce’ books and learned journals. their successful completion will boost the development of digital libraries, and notably europeana as an online platform through which citizens can access the diversity and richness of europe's cultural heritage.in line with the principles of the convention, another strand focused on ensuring adequate protection for creators, in particular performers whose performances are fixed on a phonogram. a recent amendment to the directive on the term of protection of copyright and certain related rights (2011) extended the term of protection for performers from 50 to 70 years, aligning it with what is applicable in the eu for authors. the extended term will benefit both performers and record producers by helping to generate additional revenue. the directive also contains accompanying measures which aim specifically to help performers.an additional plank of eu action relates to improving access to culturally diverse works for vulnerable groups. in order to enhance the availability of products and services conceived for the visually impaired and reading disabled, a stakeholder dialogue was launched in 2009 resulting in a memorandum of understanding (mou) on access to works by people with print disabilities. the commission continues to work with stakeholders to set up a network of trusted intermediaries in the eu (etin – european trusted intermediaries network).