About Us

The Asociación de Internautas is the leading non-profit Spanish consumer association focused in defending the users of telecommunication networks. Its main goal is getting an accessible and affordable quality access to the Internet for everybody in Spain, as well as fighting against the abuse of the copyright policies. It is also engaged in the defence of civil rights and privacy issues.

Website: http://www.internautas.org

AIB is the only general library association in Italy, numbers over 4.000 members, personal (librarians, students in library and information science field) and institutional (libraries, documentation centres, other organizations). Corporate bodies account for some 15% of total membership.

Website: http://www.aib.it

The Bulgarian Library and Information Association – BLIA is a non-governmental professional organization of specialists in the library and information sector. BLIA is a member of IFLA and EBLIDA. The association was established in 1990. Today, it has 1200 individual and 82 institutional members.The main areas of activities include: advocacy for contemporary library legislation; providing expertise in developing national library and information policy; organizing continuing education for the library staff, and managing various projects for enhanced access to information and improvement of library services

Website: http://www.lib.bg

Centrum Cyfrowe Projekt:Polska works towards social change and enhancing citizens’ participation through the use of digital technologies and open, cooperative models based on sharing knowledge and other resources. Our work and projects fall into these main categories:

• Open Government
• Open NGO
• Open Culture
• Open Science

Website: http://centrumcyfrowe.pl/english/

The Center for Democracy & Technology is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public policy organization and the leading Internet freedom organization working at the critical edge of policy innovation. When the Internet was in its infancy, CDT shaped the first legislative choices and court decisions that allowed this technology of freedom to flourish. Today, we are committed to finding innovative, practical and balanced solutions to the tough policy challenges facing this rapidly evolving medium. CDT operates a number of working groups in which academics, NGOs, legal experts and industry representatives debate pertinent policy issues, such as cyber security, intellectual property protection, free expression and intermediary liability. CDT is funded by research grants, foundation money, and contributions from companies and associations.

Website: https://www.cdt.org

The Computer and Communications Industry Association is a non-profit, mission-driven trade association dedicated to innovation and enhancing society’s access to information and communications. CCIA promotes open markets, open systems, open networks and full, fair and open competition in the computer, telecommunications and Internet industries. CCIA represents large, medium-sized, and small companies in the high technology products and services sectors, including computer hardware and software, electronic commerce, telecommunications and Internet products and services – companies that collectively generate more than $250 billion in annual revenues.

Website: http://www.ccianet.org

Founded in 2010 by a group of entrepreneurs and others active in the startup world, Coadec is dedicated to highlighting the success of the digital innovation community through policy debates, events, white papers and other activities. Website: http://www.coadec.com

Creative Commons is a non-profit organization at the center of a high-profile, international movement to promote sharing of creativity and knowledge. It provides the well-known suite of licenses and public domain tools that have become the global standard used by leading companies, institutions and individuals across culture, education, government, science, and more to promote digital collaboration and innovation. Their goal is to help realize the full potential of the Internet, namely universal access to research and education, full participation in culture, in order to drive a new era of development growth, and productivity.

Website: https://creativecommons.org/

DINI has been engaged in the field of copyright for many years. In 2004 DINI initiated the Aktionsbündnis “Urheberrecht für Bildung und Wissenschaft” (Coalition for Action “Copyright for Education and Research”) and was one of the first organizations to sign the “Göttingen Declaration on Copyright for Education and Research” of 5 July 2004.

Website: http://www.dini.de

The European Bureau of Library, Information and Documentation Associations (EBLIDA) is the representative voice of all libraries at the European level. Through its members it represents approximately 70,000 different kinds of libraries – public libraries, academic libraries, national libraries, documentation centres, and archives, etc. It fosters communication between its different members and consultation on matters of shared interest. It represents associations in all 28 Member States of the European Union and other countries in Europe. EBLIDA concentrates on European information society issues, including copyright & licensing, culture & education and EU enlargement. It promotes unhindered access to information in the digital age and the role of archives and libraries in achieving this goal. EBLIDA is currently involved in the Europeana project ( http://www.europeana.eu ) and the Communia network (http://www.communia-project.eu/).

Website: http://www.eblida.org

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is an international non governmental organization dedicated to the protection of online freedom of expression, civil liberties, digital consumer rights, privacy and innovation, through advocacy for balanced intellectual property laws and information policy. EFF is a donor-supported membership organization with more than 14,000 individual members worldwide.

Website: http://www.eff.org

ENCES (European Network for Copyright in support of Education and Science) is an EU-wide network of organizations and individuals in science and education who share the view that copyright is a socially valuable construct and that the primary objective of copyright is to promote the progress of science, education, and culture.

Website: http://www.ences.eu

EIFL works with libraries worldwide to enable access to digital information in developing and transition countries. We are an international not-for-profit organisation based in Europe with a global network of partners. EIFL partners with libraries and library consortia in more than 60 developing and transition countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

Website: http://www.eifl.net

EuroISPA is a pan-European association of European Internet Services Providers Associations. It is the world’s largest association of Internet Services Providers (ISPs), representing over 1700 ISPs across the EU and EFTA countries – including ISPs from Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Norway and the UK. The association was established in 1997 to represent the European ISP industry on EU policy and legislative issues and to facilitate the exchange of best- practice between national ISP associations.

Website: http://www.euroispa.org

Across the planet, people are recognizing the need for an international space to build and coordinate a common agenda for issues surrounding free culture and access to knowledge. The Free Culture Forum of Barcelona created one such space. The Forum was an open space for drawing up proposals to present the position of civil society on the privatization of culture and access to knowledge. Participants debated the role of government in access to knowledge, on the creation and distribution of art and culture, and other areas.

Website: http://fcforum.net/

FOBID Netherlands Library Forum is the national umbrella organisation and forum for co-operation between the national library organisations in The Netherlands.FOBID was founded in 1974 to improve the co-operation between different types of libraries and institutions for information and documentation services. The main activities focus on advocacy of the library fields legal interests, and on international networking.

Website: http://www.fobid.nl

Fundacja Nowoczesna Polska, which represents the general public and culture users, believes that users’ rights are the foundation of democracy and the public domain should be a rule to which information monopolies are an exception. Freedom of communication is only possible when citizens use free tools to control the flow of information, have media and information competences and have access to free knowledge. Therefore the Foundation:

• builds and shares open educational resources and teach media and information competences;
• develops free digitalization technologies and create free readings repository; and,
• educates culture users on their rights and influence public policies in the field of exclusive rights.

Website: http://www.nowoczesnapolska.org.pl/

The German Library Association (dbv) (http://www.bibliotheksverband.de/) is the professional body representing all German libraries and uniting them as equal partners, irrespective of size or sector, ranging from the largest state or university library down to the smallest local community library and including special libraries, church libraries, public library service centres and training institutions. For the past few years sponsors from the academic and economic sectors have actively supported the work of the dbv, which also welcomes library patron groups.

We cooperate with numerous national and international committees and organisations on behalf of our approximately 2,000 members. At the political level the dbv is headed by the President and at the executive level by the Executive Committee with the advisory assistance of a Board including representatives from both the library and political sectors. Nine Sections corresponding to professional areas of interest and 16 branches at federal state level further represent the interests of our members. Their activities are supported and coordinated by the head office in Berlin.

Website: http://www.bibliotheksverband.de

iCommons Ltd is a UK charity that was established by Creative Commons to promote open sharing on a global basis. It represents users of information, knowledge and culture. The membership is limited to charitable entities with similar missions and is currently comprosed of Instituto Overmundo, Creative Commons, Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE), Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPRS), and Multimedijalni institut (Mi2).

Website: http://icommons.org/

The Institute of Digital Technologies of the Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) is a multidisciplinary study and research centre, focusing on information technology and social transformation. The institute has over 50 researchers in the fields of law, computer science, economics and management, communication, social science, mathematics, etc., and runs three undergraduate and seven master’s degree study programs with more than 500 students.

Website: http://www.mruni.eu/en/university/faculties/faculty_of_social_technologies/institutes/institute-of-digital-technologies/about-us/

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) is the leading international body representing the interests of library and information services and their users. IFLA’s members include national and international library associations, national libraries and a huge variety of institutional and special libraries. It is the global voice of the library and information profession. IFLA is an independent, international, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization whose aims are to:

• Promote high standards of provision and delivery of library and information services
• Encourage widespread understanding of the value of good library & information services
• Represent the interests of our members throughout the world.

IFLA has Formal Associate Relations with UNESCO, observer status with the United Nations, associate status with the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) and observer status with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). In 1999, IFLA established observer status with the World Trade Organization (WTO). IFLA has 1600 Members in approximately 150 countries, and works on behalf of 700,000 librarians and over 1 billion library users worldwide.

Website: http://www.ifla.org

The „Initiative gegen ein Leistungsschutzrecht“ (IGEL, Initiative against an ancillary copyright law for press publishers) is a private initiative founded by the German copyright lawyer Dr. Till Kreutzer in 2010. It represents approximately 130 supporters, like Internet companies, journalistic blogs, publishers, associations of journalists, law firms, media aggregators, NGOs and foundations. IGEL opposes the ancillary copyright (ac) for press publishers because it obstructs innovation, the freedom to information and communication and it fosters market concentration in the online sector. IGEL informs the public about the political processes concerning the ac and intervenes on the political level as an NGO.

Website: http://leistungsschutzrecht.info/

The IMMF is a global non-governmental organization (NGO) which has as its members national federations (16) of music managers in 15 countries. These federations are individual national country chapters (often called MMF) which are comprised of individual managers and management companies. Its mission is to ensure the safeguarding, respect and protection of the moral and professional interests of its members and the worldwide community of music managers.

Website: http://www.immf.com

IP Justice is an international civil liberties organization that promotes balanced intellectual property law. The organization’s focus is on international treaties, directives, and other trade agreements that address intellectual property rights or impact freedom of expression guarantees.

Website: http://www.ipjustice.org

Knowledge Ecology International (KEI) is a not for profit non governmental organization that searches for better outcomes, including new solutions, to the management of knowledge resources. KEI undertakes and publishes research and new ideas, engages in global public interest advocacy, provides technical advice to governments, NGOs and firms, enhances transparency of policy making, monitors actions of key actors, and provides forums for interested persons to discuss and debate Knowledge Ecology topics.KEI is focused on social justice, particularly for the most vulnerable populations, including low-income persons and marginalized groups. There are probably 5 billion people who live in the margins of the global economy, and an entire planet that depends upon knowledge for economic and personal development, education and health, political power and freedom, culture and fun. We are just now learning about the opportunities to manage knowledge resources in ways that are more efficient, more fair, and responsive to human needs.

Website: http://www.keionline.org

Kennisland is an Amsterdam based think-tank that supports (social) innovation in the knowledge society. Our mission is to make our society smarter. We define smart as the ability to learn and to innovate. Kennisland works on a number of themes including the modernisation of copyright and access to digital cultural heritage. Kennisland is active both on the Dutch and on the European level. Our main activities are currently in the field of education reform, copyright and digitisation of cultural heritage but we also work on issues related to government innovation, culture and social innovation. Our projects are primarily funded by public bodies on the national and European level.

Website: http://www.kennisland.nl

LACA is an United Kingdom umbrella group convened by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals and advocates for a fair and balanced copyright regime that delivers universally accessible information and knowledge services in the digital age. LACA’s membership comprises library and archive copyright experts and representatives of the major UK library and archive organisations listed.

Website: http://www.cilip.org.uk/laca

Stichting LIBER is the principal association of the major research libraries of Europe ( http://www.libereurope.eu). It was founded as an association in 1971 under the auspices of the Council of Europe and became a Foundation under Dutch law in 2009. Its current membership includes over 400 research libraries of more than forty countries, mainly but not only, in Europe. Its overall aim is to assist research libraries in Europe to support a functional network across national boundaries in order to ensure the preservation of the European cultural heritage, to improve access to collections in European research libraries, and to provide more efficient information services in Europe. LIBER actively promotes co-operation with all library-related organizations; it has strong links with the Council of Europe, the Commission of the European Communities (CEC), SPARC Europe (http://www.sparceurope.org/) and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), as well as with national library associations. LIBER has been involved in several projects such as Europeana ( http://www.europeana.eu), Europeana Travel (http://www.europeanatravel.eu/) and DART Europe (http://www.dart-europe.eu/). LIBER has excellent relations with the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) in the United States and the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) with the potential for collaboration.

LIBER’s current membership includes over 400 research libraries of more than 40 countries, mainly but not only in Europe.

Website: http://www.libereurope.eu

The Network of European Museum Organisations (NEMO) was founded in 1992 as an independent network of national museum organisations representing the museum community of the member states of the Council of Europe.

• NEMO connects European museums and their organisations to help to ensure their place in the cultural development of Europe.
• NEMO fosters European policies that help museums in fulfilling their role as keepers of cultural heritage by promoting their importance to European policy makers.
• NEMO supports European museums in their aim to learn from each other by networking and co-operation and shows them ways to participate in the existing European cultural policies in its function as an information channel between European institutions and museums.
• NEMO believes that museums are key players in safeguarding cultural heritage and they are central figures on the way for a better understanding within Europe.

Together, NEMO’s members speak for over 30.000 museums across Europe. It is vital that cultural heritage has a strong voice in Europe. NEMO’s mission is to ensure museums are an integral part of European society by promoting their work and value to policy-makers and by providing museums with information and opportunities for networking and cooperation.

Website: http://www.ne-mo.org

OpenForum Europe (OFE) is an independent, not-for-profit, industry organisation originally launched in 2002, supported by major IT suppliers, as well as SMEs, user and consumer organisations, and national partners across Europe. OFE maintains a vision to facilitate ‘open, competitive choice for IT users’, as a means of achieving full openness and interoperability of computer systems throughout Europe. OFE supports a set of Principles which encompass user centricity, competition, flexibility (through interoperability of solution), sustainability, and community approach. With input from the OpenForum Academy (OFA) think tank, OFE is active in developing innovative thinking on all aspects of Openness in ICT (including Open Standards, Open Source, Open Data, Open Internet) when applied to current and new business solutions (including Cloud Computing). OFE works with business, consumer organisations, and with government. OFE is active in the policy and legislative processes, including those addressing intellectual property rights. Our aim is to contribute to the development of European frameworks, as well as to support pragmatic implementation within public procurement. In addition, the OpenForum Academy (OFA) draws upon the academic input of over 40 Fellows.

Website: http://openforumeurope.org/

Open Knowledge International (OKI) is a non-profit organisation founded in 2004 and dedicated to promoting open data and open content in all their forms – including government data, publicly funded research and public domain cultural content. The organisation has a global network in over 50 countries of citizens, campaigners, developers, journalists and others who want to see information opened up for everyone.

Website: http://okfn.org/

The digital age is transforming society: bringing us greater democracy, transparency and new creative possibilities. When these freedoms are under attack, the Open Rights Group is there to defend them. Founded in 2005 by 1,000 digital activists, ORG has become the UK’s leading voice defending freedom of expression, privacy, innovation, consumer rights and creativity on the net. Getting into the political trenches in the UK and EU, we mobilise our supporters to stop bad laws. Working closely with other campaign groups, we lobby government and talk to the media whenever our rights are threatened. ORG is a non-profit company funded by donors. ORG is funded by 3.000 digital activists and represents tens of thousands of supporters.

Website: http://www.openrightsgroup.org

The goal of the Public Libraries 2030 programme (PL2030) is to raise awareness about the importance of public libraries as modern learning hubs close to citizens and (potential) learners. Public libraries have been expanding their role in local communities enormously over the last decades – many of them now help people develop their digital skills, advance or acquire other skills (such as literacy) through various lifelong learning opportunities and offer a neutral and trusted space for people to create, learn, and connect. PL2030 brings together library organisations and advocates from across the EU to raise awareness of the value of public libraries as partners for social and economic development. PL2030 promotes how libraries are contributing to European policy objectives in three main areas: social inclusion, digital inclusion, and lifelong learning.

Website: https://publiclibraries2030.eu

RLUK represents the libraries in 25 of the leading research universities in the UK and Ireland, plus the three UK national libraries and the libraries of the Victoria & Albert Museum and Wellcome Trust. Our members provide access to journals, books, newspapers, magazines, manuscripts, databases, etc. in a variety of media to a wide range of users, with a focus on academic researchers, but also students, clinicians, practitioners, and the general public. The vision of RLUK is that ‘the UK should have the best research library support in the world’.

Website: http://www.rluk.ac.uk

The Partnership Copyright & Society (SA&S – Samenwerkingsverband Auteursrecht en Samenleving) is a partnership of organisations in the field of culture, heritage, education and science in Flanders, Belgium. We joined forces as organisations which provide content for communities of users, and therefore share the same interest in the field of copyright. Together we want to strengthen the position of cultural and educational organisations with regard to copyright, to deliver a better service to our users and the public in general. We strive for a ‘balanced copyright’ which guarantees the balance of interest between users and copyright holders. The partnership collaborates with Mr. Joris Deene, a lawyer and an expert in copyright law.

Website: http://www.auteursrechtensamenleving.be/

The Special Libraries Association (SLA) is a nonprofit global organization for innovative information professionals and their strategic partners. SLA serves some 11,000 members in 75 countries in the information profession, including corporate, academic, and government information specialists. SLA promotes and strengthens its members through learning, advocacy, and networking initiatives.

Website: http://www.sla.org

SPARC Europe, the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition Europe, founded in 2004, is a non-profit, member organisation comprised among others of a diverse body of academic institutions, library consortia, funding bodies, research institutes and some publishers, who are all committed to delivering on the promise of Open Access and Open Science. In recent years, SPARC Europe has also widened its focus to encompass Open Data and Open Education Resources. In their view, more openness in research will lead to an accelerated rate of discovery in academia and in the private sector, and of learning at every strata of education.

Website: https://sparceurope.org/

Universities UK is the representative organisation for the UK’s universities. Founded in 1918, its mission is to be the definitive voice for all universities in the UK, providing high quality leadership and support to its members to promote a successful and diverse higher education sector. With 134 members and offices in London, Cardiff and Edinburgh, it promotes the strength and success of UK universities nationally and internationally.

The UK Higher Education International Unit (IU) represents all UK higher education institutions internationally and delivers a number of programmes and initiatives to support the development and sustainability of the UK HE sector’s influence and competitiveness in a global environment. It supports the sector’s engagement in European Union and Bologna Process policy debates.

Website: www.international.ac.uk

The Dutch association of public libraries (VOB – ‘Vereniging van Openbare Bibliotheken’) is the national association of public libraries, provincial support organisations and library suppliers in the Netherlands, based in The Hague. The VOB represents approximately 170 member organisations.

Website: http://www.debibliotheken.nl/

Xnet is a platform that works to free citizens from the abuses of the SGAE and other cultural industry bodies. Xnet provides ongoing legal advice; analyses political and social developments and drafts proposals for intervention on legislation; organises cultural events that aim to “normalise” free culture production and diffusion practices and make them known to the general public; amplifies the potential of national and international networks by fostering and harmonising the abilities of each node and creates viral campaigns.

Website: https://xnet-x.net/en/