The Libraries and Archives Copyright Alliance (LACA) has responded to the European Commission public consultation on the database directive. LACA has submitted that the directive has not had any significant impact on the EU’s database industry. The directive has, however, added unneeded complexity, in particular for information users. Citing academic research, experience, and the Commission’s own 2005 evaluation report on the directive, LACA has in particular argued against the ‘sui generis’ right, which is seen as a major hindrance to database users, such as researchers. The sui generis right, LACA argues, unhelpfully increases the burden on educators, learners and researchers.

(August 2017)