The Open Knowledge Foundation, along with several other representatives from the research sector, has withdrawn from the Licences for Europe dialogue on text and data mining due to concerns about the scope, composition and transparency of the process.

A letter of withdrawal has been sent to the Commissioners involved in Licenses for Europe explaining the reason that these stakeholders can no longer participate in the dialogue and the wish to instigate a broader dialogue around creating the conditions to realise the full potential of text and data mining for innovation in Europe.

The following organisations have signed the letter:

• The Association of European Research Libraries (LIBER)
• The Coalition for a Digital Economy
• European Bureau of Library Information and Documentation Associations
• The Open Knowledge Foundation
• Communia
• Ubiquity Press Ltd.
• Trans‐Atlantic Consumer Dialogue
• National Centre for Text Mining, University of Manchester
• European Network for Copyright in support of Education and Science (ENCES)
• Jisc

Licences for Europe was announced in the Communication on Content in the Digital Single Market (18 December 2012) and is a joint initiative led by Commissioners Michel Barnier (Internal Market and Services), Neelie Kroes (Digital Agenda) and Androulla Vassiliou (Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth) to “deliver rapid progress in bringing content online through practical industry-led solutions”.

Licences for Europe aims to engage stakeholders in four areas:

1. Cross-border access and the portability of services;
2. User-generated content and licensing;
3. Audiovisual sector and cultural heritage;
4. Text and Data Mining (TDM).

While we are deeply committed to working with the Commission on the removal of legal and other environmental barriers to text and data mining, we believe that any meaningful engagement on the legal framework within which data-driven innovation exists must address the opportunities provided by limitations and exceptions. The current approach of the Commission instead places further licensing as the central pillar of the discussion.

The withdrawal follows much communication with the Commission on the issue, including a letter of concern sent on 26 February 2013 and signed by over 60 organisations. The Commission’s response to this letter is available here.

To find out more about the background of Licence for Europe and the issues surrounding text and data mining please take a look at our background document.