The European Parliament has voted to adopt the Copyright Directive, which recognises the creative and cultural value of copyright and artistic works.

The directive was widely opposed by the major tech companies, who have attempted to frustrate it and delay it on an ongoing basis. However, in what is a historic decision, the rights of artists and copyright holders have now been vindicated, in a European context at least.

The Irish Music Rights Organisations (IMRO) has welcomed the result of the European Parliament vote today.

The copyright reform for the internet age comes after years of intense lobbying by European cultural industries, publishers and digital rights activists. The proposal was adopted today with 348 votes in favour, and 274 against.

Eleanor McEvoy, Chair of IMRO, has been widely praised for her role in advancing the arguments in favour of the Copyright Directive at European level. In a statement she said:

“This is a fantastic result for the music and broader creative sectors, and I would like to thank those MEPs who have been continually supportive of our position during the past three years. Today’s result is the official recognition by European institutions that culture has meaning, that it has value, that it is worth something. I am delighted for our 12,000 members – songwriters and publishers who work hard every day, and who share their output with the world to enjoy. It now means that creators will be paid fairly for their work, and that is absolutely fundamental.”

Victor Finn, CEO of IMRO has been working on the issue on behalf of IMRO members, continuously over the past decade and more.He also commented on the news.

“This is a historic day for Irish music and the broader European cultural sector," he said. "We thank those MEPs who have been supportive in recent years, for their determination, even in the face of apparently intense challenge. The next step will be transposition into Irish law, and at IMRO, we look forward to continuing to engage with our political representatives, so many of whom who have been very supportive of Irish music.”

The Copyright Directive will now be passed on to individual EU member states to be put into national law.