The High Level Expert Group (HLEG) on Digital Libraries is meeting on the 25 June 2009 in Brussels to discuss copyright and preservations issues relating to digital libraries and access to scientific information. Consideration will be given to exceptions and limitations, voluntary agreements for enhancing online accessibility of copyright content, user generated content, open access to scientific information.

The Group was set up in 2006 and renewed in 2009 to advise the Commission on how to best address at European level the organisational, legal and technical challenges of the i2010 Digital Libraries Initiative. Participation in the Group includes representation from organisations interested in the debate on the digitisation and online accessibility of cultural material: cultural institutions, publishers, technology firms, and academics.

Work completed by this Group has considered the issue of bringing European cultural organisations under the scope of the PSI Re-use Directive.

The recently released European Commission’s Communication the Re-use of Public Sector Information – Review of Directive 2003/98/EC (, section 6.2.1. Cultural Institutions, page 22) discusses the work of the HLEG-DL Sub-group on Public-Private Partnership in the following excerpt.

“The recommendation of the High Level Group on Digital Libraries Sub-group on PPP that cultural institutions should aim to abide by the principles of the Directive and should seek to avoid exclusive arrangements in establishing PPPs has been identified and signalled as a way forward to make cultural content more accessible and available for re-use.”

Read more about HLEG work, meetings and reports

Access the Final Report of the High Level Expert Group on Digital Libraries, Sub-group on Public Private Partnership (the “HLEG-DL Sub-group”), May 2008

Read more about the issues in the European Commissioned Report, EU Cultural Institutions and the Public Sector Information (PSI) Directive

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