Commission Decision
of 25 March 2009
setting up a High Level Expert Group on Digital Libraries
(2009/301/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Whereas:
(1) Article 157 of the Treaty establishing the European Community assigned the Community and the Member States the task of ensuring that the conditions necessary for the competitiveness of the Community’s industry exist. Article 151 provides that the Community shall contribute to the flowering of the cultures of the Member States, while respecting their national and regional diversity and at the same time bringing the common cultural heritage to the fore.
(2) The Communication from the Commission ‘i2010 — A European Information Society for growth and employment’(1) announced a flagship initiative on digital libraries.
(3) The Communication from the Commission ‘i2010: Digital Libraries’(2) announced the creation of a High Level Expert Group on Digital Libraries to advise the Commission on how to best address the organisational, legal and technical challenges at European level.
(4) That expert group was set up by Commission Decision 2006/178/EC(3), which expired on 31 December 2008. In view of further needs, this Decision should allow the group to continue its work in 2009.
(5) The group should contribute to a shared strategic vision for European digital libraries.
(6) The group should be composed of highly qualified experts with competence on digital libraries, appointed in a personal capacity.
(7) In 2009, the group should address copyright and preservation questions relating to digital libraries and access to scientific information. These include, in particular, exceptions and limitations, voluntary agreements for enhancing online accessibility of in copyright content, user generated content, open access to scientific information and access to and preservation of research data.
(8) The group should also monitor the uptake of solutions presented in previously adopted reports, in particular in the area of orphan and out-of-print works.
(9) Rules on disclosure of information by members of the group should be provided for, without prejudice to the Commission’s rules on security as set out in the Annex to Commission Decision 2001/844/EC, ECSC, Euratom(4).
(10) Personal data relating to members of the group should be processed in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 45/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2000 on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data by the Community institutions and bodies and on the free movement of such data(5).
(11) It is appropriate to fix a period for the application of this Decision,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
COM(2005) 229 final.
COM(2005) 465 final.