What does the new EU Copyright Directive mean for you?

If you remember something about a new EU Copyright Directive approved in March, but have forgotten the details – don't worry, here's a recap.

Here’s what you need to know

On 26 March 2019, the European Parliament voted in favor of The European Union Directive on Copyright. This has an impact on copyright-protected material across platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and many more.

According to the EU: “The Directive aims to create a comprehensive framework where copyrighted material, copyright holders, publishers, providers and users can all benefit from clearer rules, adapted to the digital era.”

What is Article 17?

Article 17 of the Directive says that the online content sharing service providers (e.g. YouTube) will be held legally responsible for ensuring that they're not hosting copyright-protected material. Previously, this was often the rights-holders' responsibility.

What happens next?

The text adopted by the European Parliament in March was given the green light by the Council of the European Union on April 15. Member States then got 24 months to implement the new rules into their national legislation.

While these new laws are legally binding, each EU member state must decide on exactly how they implement it into their own legal framework.

How will it affect you?

With an Epidemic Sound subscription, you'll still be able to soundtrack your content with our top-tier music and sound effects, without being affected by Article 17. This is because we own the rights, including public performance, to the music in our catalog and can thus protect the channels and platform accounts connected to your account.