Blog
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Secretary General's November Digest, 2024
November was an eventful month of meetings with the members, policymakers and partners. Some of the activities included a workshop to set our long-term direction, preparing our contribution to the AI Act Code of Practice, delivering a joint stakeholder address to EU's Culture Ministers, and getting involved in 'Big Tech' court cases against Belgium.
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Secretary General's October Digest, 2024
In October, I travelled to Budapest and Warsaw, organised two working group meetings with the SAA members, prepared for our all-member meeting in Brussels in November and started introducing Luisiana, our new Policy and Legal Officer, to the copyright experts in the Permanent Representations of the Member States.
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Secretary General's September Digest, 2024
What a month of September! When I came back from my summer holidays on 20 August, I knew that it had a lot to prepare for September, but I did not imagine that the month would be so busy.
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Secretary General's July Digest, 2024
July was an unusual busy month due to the setting up of the new European Parliament following the June elections. The newly elected MEPs held their constitutive plenary session last week in Strasbourg. Together with my colleague Annica, we went to Strasbourg and had a few appointments with re-elected and new MEPs.
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EU Parliament: Guard culture, defend authors and resist the far right
We’re back from intense few days in Strasbourg, for the first session of the European Parliament’s 10th term. Like many other stakeholders, we met with MEPs and their assistants, some of whom we knew and who had supported authors’ rights in the previous term, as well as new MEPs whom we identified as possible new allies.
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Secretary General's June Digest, 2024
The sun has finally replaced the cold rain in Brussels, but the outcome of the European elections has contradicted this move towards a bright summer, especially in France. As a French citizen myself, I must admit I am looking for the silver linings right now… The results of the first round of the French general elections yesterday confirmed the high level of uncertainty on the future government of the second largest economy of the EU.
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Secretary General's May Digest, 2024
I heard on the radio that Belgium had the wettest month of May in more than a decade… I confirm it from my experience, fortunately, I travelled a bit this month and got some sun during my trip to the Cannes Film Festival!
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Meet our member: deAuteurs, in Belgium
Across the courtyard from the SAA in the European House of Authors, I see deAuteurs’ office. However, I rarely catch a glimpse of its CEO, Katrien van der Perre. When we finally caught up online, I quickly understood why. Katrien is not only the CEO of deAuteurs. She is also busy teaching copyright and media law at Ghent University and at the film school RITCS in Brussels, and a member of the Flemish Regulator of the Media.
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EU Elections: Challenges for culture?
On 6-9 June, EU citizens will have their say about the composition of the new European Parliament and consequently on the future of the Union. But both the EU and the cultural and creative sectors are facing a few challenges.
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Secretary General's April Digest, 2024
Last Friday (26 April) was the World IP Day. This year’s focus was on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and on finding innovative and creative solutions to rethink how we live, work and play. At the SAA we are doing our part towards new solutions addressing authors’ rights and remuneration in Europe!
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Meet our Member: Sabam in Belgium
In a bright office space on Rue des Deux Eglises in Brussels, sits SAA’s member Sabam. The building, designed by René Aerts and Paul Ramon, has a facade of windows shaped as vintage television screens, making every view a different TV-programme. We met with the CEO Steven De Keyser to learn more about Sabam’s work for audiovisual authors.
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Secretary General's March Digest, 2024
Before my (and yours I hope) long Easter weekend, I want to give you an update on the SAA’s activities in March, which were mainly about our annual meeting and the European elections.
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