Following the publication of Antonio Vitorino's recommendations, SAA has issued the following initial reaction.
Cécile Despringre, Executive Director of the SAA (Society of Audiovisual Authors): “Our first reading of Mr Vitorino's report is a considerable disappointment: we do not see how it will facilitate and advance future discussions. Mr Vitorino's main recommendation is to deprive creators of a legitimate compensation, under the assumption that private copies from licensed services do not cause any harm. Other proposals would make the levy-based system more costly and uncertain for creators. All together, they would put creators at a considerable disadvantage, thus reflecting a very unbalanced approach. We will provide further analysis to the Commission and the Member States in the next few weeks.”