Paris (AFP)
The Paris Court of Appeal validated the decision of the Competition Authority to impose negotiations on Google with the French press on the issue of neighboring rights, according to the judgment that AFP was able to consult on Thursday.
"The Paris Court of Appeal confirms the decision (...) ordering Google to take protective measures and negotiate in good faith on neighboring rights with press publishers. A very important decision. Competition applies to everyone. , including in digital, "said the president of the Competition Authority, Isabelle de Silva, in a tweet.
The decision of the Paris Court of Appeal will be closely scrutinized in other European countries, with neighboring rights legislation originally being European legislation that France is the first EU country to apply.
The "neighboring rights" provide for remuneration for content (photos and videos in particular) used by online platforms, but Google had refused from the outset to pay the French press, triggering a standoff with the sector.
On April 9, the Competition Authority seized by press editors, including AFP, had ordered Google to negotiate "in good faith" on these neighboring rights.
Google then simultaneously contested and applied the decision.
The American giant had seized the Court of Appeal of Paris to obtain its invalidation, while opening discussions with the Alliance of the press of general information (APIG), which includes in particular the national and regional dailies, the Syndicate of the editors of the magazine press, and AFP.
On Wednesday evening, Google announced that it was "close to a deal" with APIG.
The US giant has said it hopes to reach an agreement with the other two parties as well.
Google, like other major internet platforms such as Facebook, maintains tumultuous relations with press publishers who accuse it of using their content for its own benefit, mainly advertising, without sufficiently sharing the value it derives from it.
© 2020 AFP