Breaches of intellectual property rights (IPR) on the internet are a growing problem for the economy and require a response at EU level, including the removal of barriers to a single digital market by granting EU-wide copyright licences, according to members of the European Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee.

MEPs have urged the Commission to address "the issue of the balance between free access to the Internet and the measures to be taken to combat this scourge effectively". The provision of an attractive legal range of goods and services might help tackle the problem but the lack of a functioning internal European digital market is a major obstacle.

The Commission is therefore asked to propose a comprehensive strategy on intellectual property rights (IPR) which will remove obstacles to creating a single market in the online environment and adapt the European legislative framework in the field of IPR to current trends in society as well as technical developments.

It is also asked to think broadly about methods of facilitating industry's access to the digital market without geographical borders by addressing urgently the issue of multi-territory licences and the harmonisation of legislation on copyright.

The committee does not share the Commission's view that the current civil enforcement framework in the EU is sufficiently effective and harmonised.  Dialogue on possible solutions must involve all stakeholders, including Internet service providers, says the committee.

MEPs point out that, in cultural terms, the 'private copy' should be seen as an exception to intellectual property rights.  They want individuals who copy originals for private use not to have to prove that their copies are legitimate.

They also call on the Commission to pursue its efforts to make progress on the negotiations for an Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), taking full account of Parliament's position and to ensure that the provisions of the ACTA fully comply with existing EU rules on IPR and fundamental rights.

An independent study before any new legislation

MEPs point out that data on breaches of intellectual property rights are incomplete and they call for independent studies to be carried out before any new legislation is proposed. Last year, Commission published a tender for a study on the interplay between standards and intellectual property rights (IPRs).