Legal protection for encrypted services, consultation on theneed for Community action. Green Paper

In adopting the report by Mr Giorgios ANASTASSOPOULOS (PPE, GR), Parliament expressed its approval of the Commission Green Paper. It took the view that the protection of copyright and related rights would not be feasible unless measures were also taken to protect the means and systems of broadcasting. It considered that the system of 'dual protection' (of copyright and broadcasting rights) was jeopardized by the piracy practised by a parallel industry involved in the production of decoding equipment. National laws in the area are inadequate as regards piracy and only harmonized protection at the highest level will remedy the problem. Parliament therefore calls for a directive (rather than a regulation) to be adopted in order to protect coded transmission systems and the copyright and related rights associated with these services. �