Emma McClarkin MEP focuses on controversial panorama photographs proposal

East Midlands Conservative MEP Emma McClarkin will this week support her constituents by voting to remove controversial clauses from proposed legislation which threatened to ban people from photographing and sharing pictures of landmark buildings such as the Eiffel Tower or Houses of Parliament.

Fears have been voiced over a controversial clause in a report on copyright which said commercial use of photographs or video of “works…permanently located in…public spaces” should always be subject to prior authorisation.

It raised the prospect of photographers or film-makers having to apply for a licence before they could use a view of landmark buildings such as the London Eye or Lincoln Cathedral.

Miss McClarkin said:

“The proposal was ridiculous, but it was something we had to take seriously. I have had numerous constituents contact me about this, and I strongly agree that we simply cannot accept any attempt by Brussels to set Europe-wide rules for how and when ordinary people take photographs or what they can do with them.”

Miss McClarkin has backed negotiations which have secured an agreement across the majority of political groups in the parliament to have the controversial clause removed from the report. The decision is expected to be ratified in a vote on Thursday in Strasbourg.

Miss McClarkin added:

“We have managed to strike a sensible balance. We have fought to protect the right of people to take and share their photos and videos.

“In the end though, this is about freedoms. The EU should not dictate how member states manage their freedom of panorama.”