Automatic linking – CJEU judgement

On September 10, 2020, Advocate General Maciej Szpunar delivered his Opinion in Case C 392/19 VG Bild-Kunst v Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, where a request for a preliminary ruling was lodged with the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU” / “Court”) on May 21, 2019. On March 9, 2021, the CJEU delivered its judgement in the case. Apart from certain divergent aspects, the CJEU decision is in line with the Opinion of Advocate General Szpunar. At the same time, by reinforcing the rights of copyright holders in the context of automatic linking, the decision shows the continued commitment of the European institutions to interpret the law as to offer authors a high level of protection. The complete article is available here.