The authors, performers, producers, and broadcasters have the right to authorize

The European Parliament voted to significantly strengthen legislation on online piracy and gave its full backing to artists concerned by the spread of digital media such as the Internet.The assembly adopted almost all of the controversial amendments proposed by its legal affairs committee, including tougher measures on copies for personal use, teaching, and scientific research, and on "incidental" copies made during Internet transactions. A host of consumer groups, libraries, electronics and telecommunications Companies, and Internet service providers had tried to convince the parliament the amendments went too far. But groups representing artists, performers, publishers, and producers--especially the music industry--won the day with arguments that tough action was needed to deter pirates from using new technologies to plunder their work. The legislation, which now goes to the 15 European Union governments and then back to the parliament before being finally adopted, sets out the basic principle that authors, performers, producers, and broadcasters have the right to authorize reproductions of their work--and control how it is used--in the digital era. The music industry lost on one issue, however. Deputies said broadcasters should have the right to use their own archives to create new services without permission, provided rightholders are remunerated.