The EU has appointed Maria Martin-Prat as its new ‘copyright tsar’, sparking complaints from consumer groups due to her past role as director of legal policy at the IFPI. She’ll be in charge of overhauling the 2004 Enforcement Directive, and the ACTA trade agreement which includes guidance on tackling online piracy. She takes up her role on 16 April, but the appointment has been criticised (anonymously) by consumer groups as “disappointing”, and not-so-anonymously by Pirate Party MEP Christian Engstrom. In a blog post, Engstrom doesn’t mince his words: “Welcome to the European Union, where the big business lobby organisations are calling most of the shots at the Commission, and where citizens are just seen as a nuisance to be ignored.” Music rightsholders have yet to comment, but we’d suggest they’re rather happier at the prospect of Martin-Prat’s new job. Source: PC Pro
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