European Union: Initiated EC Infringement Procedures Against Member States regarding Transposition of EU Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market

On 26 July 2021, the EU Commission formally opened infringement procedures against a number of member states for their failure to transpose the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market (Directive 2019/790/EU) into national law. Namely, the EU opened procedures against Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Finland, France, Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia and Slovakia. The Commission stated that the notified member states have two months to respond and take the required measures, and that failure to do so could lead to the Commission taking further action by issuing reasoned opinions.