EUROPEAN CONVENTION

The draft Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union originally enshrined property rights without expressly mentioning copyright or, more generally, intellectual property rights. GESAC approached the Convention members, the ad hoc body responsible for drafting the Charter, to ensure that copyright was recognised as a fundamental property right. The text proclaimed at the European Council in Nice in December 2000 states that "intellectual property is protected" (Article 17, paragraph 2). This wording covers copyright of course. In the context of the future reforms of the European Union, GESAC considers that the Charter of Fundamental Rights must be given binding force and integrated into future treaties.

Letter to the President of the European Convention (May 2003)

Preliminary position presented to the European Convention - April 2002

Comments on the draft charter - June 2000