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UNI MEI Global Union issued a statement to launch a campaign against digital theft. The statement is a first step to a series of actions UNI MEI will be undertaking to combat digital piracy.



UNI MEI believes that the world’s creative industries are not adequately protected against digital theft in order to protect creativity, support existing and grow new jobs and ensure fair revenues to all right holders and compensation to all other media and entertainment workers. Technology is not static; it will change in many ways – including greater penetration, faster service and inexpensive memory which will potentially increase the problem of digital piracy. New ways to address digital theft are evolving rapidly as are ways to make creative works easily and legally available to consumers. That makes the need to address this problem—before it overwhelms all efforts to adapt to an ever-changing digital environment-- all the more pressing



At its last World Executive Committee, UNI MEI decided to give priority to the fight against digital theft and a working group was set up, which is mandated to develop actions at national, regional and international level. In 2009, UNI MEI already stepped up its efforts to raise the awareness of governments and international regulators regarding the threat that digital theft poses to the creative industries and the need to better protect content in the digital economy. Entertainment unions in several countries have built national anti-piracy coalitions. European affiliates have addressed the issue in the framework of the EU social dialogue and adopted a resolution against digital piracy at the European General Assembly (see also previous article).



The campaign statement underlines that it is critical, at this important moment in the evolution of the Internet and at a time when potential Internet policies that will exist for many years are being debated in many countries as well as in regional and international government bodies, to publicly and visibly engage in a sustained effort to affect the current debates and legislative initiatives. Our mission is no less then the protection of the employment and livelihoods of our affiliates’ members as well as the work opportunities for future generations of media and entertainment talent and workers in the creative industries.



UNI MEI underlines the urgency of the need for national, regional and international authorities to adopt Internet policies that will better protect creative content against Internet theft. Proper consultation of all stakeholders is absolutely crucial for such policies to reflect the common or respective concerns of the various players, including those whose livelihoods and ability to support their families is at stake, the statement continues.



To download the statement, click on “related files” on top of the page.