European Union: EC Sends Reasoned Opinions to Member States regarding transposition of EU Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market

On 19 May 2022, the EU Commission has sent reasoned opinions to a number of member states as part of its infringement procedures for their failure to transpose two EU Copyright Directives, the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market (Directive 2019/790/EU) and the Directive on Copyright and Related Rights Applicable to Certain Online Transmissions (Directive 2019/789/EU), into national law. The countries targeted by the reasoned opinion regarding the EU Copyright in the Digital Single Market Directive were Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus Denmark, Greece, France, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden. Reasoned opinions constitute a formal request to a member state to comply with their obligations under EU law, and the Commission has stated that, if the situation is not remedied and suitable transposition actions are taken within two months, it may open cases against individual member states in the European Court of Justice.