Information market: re-use and commercial exploitation of public sector documents. 'PSI Directive'

The European Parliament adopted a resolution comprising a series of compromise amendments. The resolution was based on the draft by W.G. VAN VELZEN (EPP-ED, Netherlands.) The main amendments were as follows: - once a request for re-use has been granted, public sector bodies should make the documents available in a timeframe that allows their full economic potential to be exploited. This is particularly important for dynamic content (e.g. traffic data), the economic value of which depends on the immediate availability of the information and of regular updates. Should a licence be used, the timely availability of documents may be a part of the terms of the licence; - to facilitate re-use, public sector bodies should make available their own documents in a format which, as far as possible, is not dependent on the use of specific software. Public sector bodies should take into account the possibilities for the re-use of documents by and for people with disabilities; - applicants for re-use of documents should be informed of available means of redress relating to decisions or practices affecting them. This will be particularly important for SMEs which may not be familiar with interactions with public sector bodies from other Member States and corresponding means of redress; - tools that help potential re-users to find documents available for re-use and the conditions for re-use can facilitate considerably the cross-border use of public sector documents. Member States should therefore ensure that practical arrangements are in place that help reusers in their search for documents available for re-use. Assets lists, accessible preferably online, of main documents (documents that are extensively re-used or that have the potential to be extensively re-used), and portal sites that are linked to decentralised assets lists are examples of such practical arrangements; - where possible, documents shall be made available through electronic means; - on request, the public sector body must indicate the calculation basis for the published charge.�