The European Commission meets today to discuss its response
to Google's deal with US authors and publishers to scan, catalogue
and electronically archive millions of books.
The meeting will be attended by publishers, authors, librarians
and other stakeholders.
European publishers are concerned that they have not had enough
say in the US settlement, according to the
Financial Times.
Google reached an agreement in October to create a $125m fund to
pay US authors to have their work scanned and made available
online.
The internet firm has
defended its position by highlighting the benefits to readers
of putting millions of books online.
But Google has reportedly made some concessions such as agreeing
to consult European publishers before including European works in
its digital library, but European concerns remain.
These include concerns that different national rules will hamper
co-operation, putting the US ahead of Europe in online knowledge
and that Google's head-start will cut out European
organisations.
Supporters of digitisation would like the EU to support the US
agreement and formulate a similar European agreement to promote the
digitisation of its cultural heritage.
But opponents have raised concerns about a single US company
acting as a repository of European culture instead of Europe's
publicly funded digitisation initiative, called Europeana.
Until agreement is reached across Europe, Google's automatic
scanning will be limited books whose authors have been dead for
more than 70 years and are not covered by copyright.
Google will have to obtain consent from each of the rights
owners for any European books still in print or covered by
copyright.