Paris (AFP)

This "license agreement" signed with the Alliance for the General Information Press (Apig), which notably represents national and regional dailies, "provides for Facebook to obtain and remunerate licenses for neighboring rights", according to the press release from American giant.

Negotiated for two years, it sets a "framework" which "takes into account the way in which press content is published and shared on Facebook, whether by users or under the control of publishers", it is specified.

It also allows access to Facebook News, a service dedicated to information, already launched in the United States and the United Kingdom, and that Facebook will deploy in France in January 2022, added the social network.

This three-year renewable framework agreement "creates a new category of perennial income" for the press, other than those linked to its print, online or subscription distribution, said Pierre to AFP. Louette, President of Apig and CEO of Groupe Les Echos – Le Parisien.

It includes the signing of individual agreements between Facebook and the publishers who are members of Apig.

"It is a solidarity agreement, concerning nearly 300 publishers, with a minimum level of remuneration for the smallest", explained Pierre Louette.

These revenues, the amounts and method of calculation of which remain secret, should soon be enriched by Google, with whom the Apig is still in negotiations, then eventually by other social media, hopes the leader.

"The recognition by an important Gafa of this neighboring right is a first step, we can bet that this will accelerate discussions with others," he concluded.

European law

The Le Monde and Le Figaro groups have for their part negotiated agreements directly with Facebook, as they had done previously with Google (as well as Liberation and Express).

Regarding the other press families, the director general of Facebook France Laurent Solly said in an interview with Le Figaro to continue "to have constructive discussions with other editors".

"We recognize the value that the media bring to us, but we also bring it to them, for example in terms of audience. In 2020, the Newsfeed generated 180 billion clicks worldwide, referring to publishers' sites, which represents $ 9 billion in advertising revenue for the press, ”he argued.

Rights related to copyright are explicitly provided for for online platforms by European legislation adopted in 2019, immediately transposed in France.

They pave the way for the remuneration of publishers and press agencies for the content (extracts from articles, photos, videos, infographics, etc.) published on the results pages of major internet platforms.

The latter have long contested their principle, and negotiations with the press were very laborious.

A framework agreement concerning the remuneration of "neighboring rights" was notably announced in January between Apig and Google, but it must be revised to take into account a condemnation in July of the search engine by the Competition Authority to a fine of 500 million euros for not having negotiated "in good faith" with the press editors.

The Authority asked the American giant to resume negotiations with publishers, to offer them a new compensation offer.

For its part, AFP said it was "close" to an agreement with Google which paves the way for remuneration for rights related to copyright in the European Union.

© 2021 AFP