The French competition agency announced on Tuesday (21) that it accepted Google’s copyright proposals, which ends the dispute between the country’s media and the American group.
“The Authority considers that the commitments proposed by Google are in the right direction to address competition concerns,” the statement said.
Two organizations that brought together French magazines and newspapers, as well as Agence France-Presse (AFP), filed a lawsuit in 2019 to demand that Google pay the copyright for the reproduction of the texts.
The French Competition Authority ordered Google in July 2021 to pay 500 million euros for not having negotiated “in good faith” with the press publishers.
The conviction becomes final as Google withdrew its appeal, the agency said on Tuesday.
Nearly 140 French publications have already signed bilateral compensation agreements with Google, including AFP.
Google undertakes to “negotiate in good faith” with publishers and news agencies that have not yet reached an agreement and to “present a proposal for compensation” within the next three months, as well as to provide the technical information “to allow a transparent assessment of Google’s proposed compensation”.
The mandatory commitments will remain in force for five years and may be renewed for another five, the Authority stressed.
I have over 8 years of experience in the news industry. I have worked for various news websites and have also written for a few news agencies. I mostly cover healthcare news, but I am also interested in other topics such as politics, business, and entertainment. In my free time, I enjoy writing fiction and spending time with my family and friends.
