Europe must do more to build a sustainable market for online news content, the EU Competition Commissioner has said.
Joaquín Almunia has hit out at the standard of the online content market in Europe, describing it as "a shameful anachronism," and saying that the fragmented state of the market – due to the difficulty of distributing content EU-wide – is damaging economic recovery.
Speaking at the Jevons Colloquium on Competition Policy in the Digital Media last week, he argues that building an internal market for content is a key aim of the 2020 Agenda, Europe's growth plan for the next ten years.
"We need the innovation, the productivity and the jobs that the digital economy can bring to sustain growth," Almunia said, emphasising that it must not, however, compromise competition standards.
"It is clear to me that competition policy must be a key part of ensuring market access and opportunities to all efficient players capable of delivering new value," he said.
Olav Stokkmo, of the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations, (IFRRO) defended the online content world. He said the varied languages of Europe did present a natural fragmentation, but that it was in no way shameful or anachronistic.
IFRRO is currently involved in the European Commission's Arrow project to create a pan-European digital library.
