EU policy/Funding/2017

Home

About

Statement

Monitoring

Documentation

Handouts

Team

Transparency

Transparent Policy Work

In line with our movement's values, Wikimedia is committed to full transparency when it comes to our public policy activities. The money we spend on our EU advocacy efforts is sourced from our European chapters. This page provides information about the current year's budget, plans and how we intend to make sure that money is well spent. For historical funding overviews, please take a look at 2015 and 2016

Annual Priorities Plan 2017

I. Public Policy Goals

Wikimedia’s European policy goals are based on our Statement of Intent, our Position Paper on EU Copyright and our movement-wide public policy positions. Priorities are selected by the Free Knowledge Advocacy Group, mainly at the Big Fat Brussels Meeting. This is done by checking our general goals against the EU’s legislative agenda and making out the more feasible aspects. We also include a few priorities where negative change is to be avoided.

Information Society Directive
When? Reform proposal expected October 2016
Goal Freedom of Panorama, “no new copyright on digitisation”, public works
Satellite and Cable Directive
When? Reform proposal expected October 2016
Goal “Country of origin principle” should be extended to online content
Horizon 2020 Midterm Review
When? Will be announced 3Q 2016
Goal All works funded by EU are OA; OA definition is not restricted
IPR Enforcement & Notice and Takedown Rules
When? Reform proposal expected October 2016
Goal Wikimedia is not forced to “police” user contributions
E-Privacy Directive
When? Reform proposal expected December 2016
Goal Users can edit Wikipedia and research knowledge in private

II. Strategic Goals

Multiple relevant proposals will be published by the European Commission by the turn-of-the year. The European Parliament will be the centre of discussions for most of 2017. This means that the number of decision-makers actively involved with the dossiers will grow exponentially. Based on this and the conclusions of the Big Fat Brussels Meeting, our organisational priorities shall be as follows:

A: WEASELs: “Wikimedia involves more active volunteers in public policy work.”

Involving active volunteers in the Brussels process has proven to be a successful investment. Not only is this an efficient way to communicate to an increased number of decision-makers, but it is also the best way to transfer know-how to regional communities.

B: Expert Image: “Wikimedia is seen as a top copyright expert in Europe.”

More involved decision-makers coupled with an array of new and highly specific digital issues increases the need for expert advice. Wikimedia could considerably enlarge its footprint by position itself as the “reliable digital experts”. A series of evening events where high-level experts provide academic knowledge relevant to current issues on the EU’s policy agenda would be a soft way to position ourselves as an organisation that provide reliable and in-depth advice.

C: Sustainability: “Wikimedia’s EU activities do not depend on a sole individual.”

We have been continuously active in Brussels since 2013. In year 5 of our efforts, we have grown out of the start-up phase and it is time to focus on sustainability. This must involve a more stable working environment, more predictable financial planning, increased sharing know-how and better documentation of relevant knowledge.

Proposed Budget 2017

Budget Contributions 2017 (in €)

WMAT - 6000 - Where does it come from?
WMCH - 8826.24 - Where does it come from?
WMDE - 48000 - Where does it come from?
WMFR - 4000 - Where does it come from?
WMIT - 5000 - Where does it come from?
WMNL - 8000 - Where does it come from?
WMNO - 2300 - Where does it come from?
WMPL - 2500 - Where does it come from?
WMSE - 8500 - Where does it come from?
WMUK - 6000 - Where does it come from?
Amical - 500 - Where does it come from?
WMCZ - 400 - Where does it come from?

Total - 100,026.25

NB All Wikimedia chapters and thematic oragnisatons are contributing only own funds sourced in Europe, such as membership fees and local donations.

Final Budget 2017 (in €)

Lines in grey optional upon additional funding. Subject to amendments depending on political/strategic circumstances.

Continuous verview of expenses (€)

Travel

428.23 (Malta, RightsCon, OpenBelgium)
471.97 (Paris PD Exhibition, Malta IPR Conference, Valencia)
709.58 (Wikimedia Conference Berlin, EDRi GA Amsterdam)
551.83 (OSCAL, EUIPO, CC Global Summit)
776.14 (EU Digital Assembly, airport transfers)
1365.76 (Wikimania)
1131.65 (Wikimania Hotel)
958.49 (CopyCamp, SORC Budapest, SORC Lisbon, Airport Transfers)
1100.05 (BMJ AT, London-BXL job interview, CEE Meeting, Sarajevo Media Literacy)
67.36 (Mozfest)
176.44 (IGF Poland)
309.04 (Brussels, London, Berlin)
158.00 (IGF Poland)

Preliminary total: 8204,54/8000

Visiting Weasels

614.12.32 (Big Fat Brussels Meeting)
133.23 (EuroDIG)
254.43 (BXL PT MEP Meetings)
244.47 (CopyCamp)
461.95 (Eduardo from Portugal)

Preliminary total: 1708.2/2400

Memberships

400 (Communia Association)

Preliminary total: 400/400

Information Materials

699 Flyers (4x2500 issue flyers print)

Preliminary total: 699/4000

Big Fat Brussels Meeting

2010.67 (Facilitator)
250 Venue
188.16 Catering
165.48 Facilitator hotel
83.14 Coffee Breaks

TOTAL 2697.45/2500

Working Space

4020 (rent)
1500 (rent)
25 (Skype credit)
22.99 (Computer Mouse)
68.61 (Heating)
134 (Mobile)

Preliminary total: 5770,60/6000

Research

6000 (two grants awarded)

Preliminary total: 6000/6000

Total

25.479,79/29300 (Result is underspending by 3.820,21)

Indicators 2017

Wikimedia is regarded as a valuable expert in Brussels

In 2017 Wikimedia will be working on improving the copyright reform proposal by the Commission, so changes beneficial to free knowledge are included in the text by means of amendments and compromises that need to be proposed and defended by MEPs, Commission staff and Member States' representatives. For this, by the end of the year we will have establisehd working relationships with at least 15 more relevant decision makers (on top of maintaining the contacts with the ones from 2016) who work on digital policy and have a say on copyright reform. These should come from the following groups: MEPs of the Digital Intergroup; MEPs in JURI, ITRE, IMCO and CULT committees; Digital/IP Policy Advisors of the Permanent Representations; Commission staff from DG Connect, DG Markt, DG EAC; Political cabinets of President Juncker, First Vice-President Timmermans, Vice-President Ansip, Commissioner Oettinger, Commissioner Jourova, Commissioner Navracsics.

|->Progress 1H 2017
We have heavily focused on working with the European Parliament as the EU Copyright Reform is being discussed and voted upon in its various committees. We have managed to table amendments on Freedom of Panorama and Safeguarding the Public Domain in the two lead committees (Legal Affairs and Internal Market). Both were already adopted by vote by the Internal Market Committee. The Legal Affairs Committee vote is scheduled for 10 October. Our amendments have been tabled by MEPs from four different political groups.

New relationships with decision makers: 10/15 (4xMEPs, 3xDG Connect, 3xPermRep)

Monitoring and representation

The amendments and compromises Wikimedia will propose on the copyright reform file (Freedom of Panorama, safeguarding the public domain, defensive measures) need to be floated, popularised and defended with relevant decision-makers and stakeholders. For this, in 2017 Wikimedia will participate in: Thematic EP Events organised by MEPs or groups (~40); Dialogues ran by the European Commission on dossiers relevant to our goals (~6); Meetings with European Commission unit staff and cabinets (~12); EU IPO working groups and plenary (3); Copyright-related events organised by non-decision makers in Brussels (~20); Events organised by media outlets in Brussels (~4).

|->Progress 1H 2017
Naturally, the focus was on the European Parliament. Interestingly we have been invited by the European Commission to discuss with them the "fake news" and "credible information sources" topic. Wikimedia is part of this dialogue together with Google, Facebook and Twitter.

EP events participation: 28/40
European Commission dialogues: 3/6 (Digital Data Economy, Database Directive, Fake News)
Meetings with European Commission staff and cabinets: 5/12
EU IPO Working Groups and Plenary: 2/3
Copyright-related events by non-decision makers in Brussels: 7/20
Events organised by media outlets in Brussels: 1/4

Wikimedians are involved in our public policy activities

6 Wikimedians will receive travel support to go to Brussels and work on our public policy goals.

|->Progress 1H 2017
One travel support has been used to help a Wikimedian attend EuroDIG in Tallinn. Although the indicator is defined as "go to Brussels", in this case the EU Copyright Reform was being discussed and relevant decision-makers form Brussels were present and the Wikimedian was invited to speak on a panel. For the second half of the year we will focus more on longer stays in Brussels rather than just travel support.

Wikimedians that received travel support to help EU policy work: 4/6

Free Knowledge is part of legislative changes

In order to provide a legislative framework for free knowledge in Europe, the EU Copyright reform will include wordings that allow for more content on Wikimedia projects while not additionally burdening the gathering and dissemination of open content. Freedom of Panorma and "safeguarding the Public Domain" (no new copyright on digitisations) are part of the text. There will be no new requirement for content identification technologies on our projects. This will be achieved as a result of the interplay between the actions stated in the above three indicators.

|->Progress 1H 2017

Freedom of Panorama and Safeguard the Public Domain have been proposed by four political groups in the two lead committees of the European Parliament.
The Internal Market committee already voted in favour of Freedom of Panorama and Safeguard the Public Domain.
A compromise on "no new requirement for content identification technologies" that protects Wikimedia projects has been found in the Culture Committee and was taken over by the Internal Market Committee.

Wikimedia works closely with different stakeholder groups

Wikimedia is collaborating (e.g. joint events, position papers, sharing of resources) with different stakeholder groups. In order to ensure we are well integrated in the entire debate, but keep our independence, we are aiming at working with the technology sector (i.e. members of EDiMA, CCIA, EuroISPA), civil society (i.e. EDRi, BEUC Communia, AccessNow), science & education (i.e. IFLA, EBLIDA, LIBER, Science Europe) and authors (either individual authors who we give a voice or pro-reform organisations like IMMF).

|->Progress 1H 2017
Wikimedia (represented by WMDE) is now a full member of EDRi. Within the policy work on EU Copyright Reform in the European Parliament we are currently cooperating weekly or monthly on different topics with EDiMA (upload filtering), EDRi (upload filtering, anillary copyright, data rights, many more), BEUC (protection of copyright exceptions in digital contracts), LIBER and IFLA (text and data mining). Most notably Wikimedia (represented by WMAT) has co-signed a letter with the Austrian Internet Service Providers on copyright reform and Wikimedia has co-signed a letter with large coalition of academia, civil society and businesses asking for more openness in the Council within the copyright reform debates.

Sustainability

At least two representatives of Wikimedia are known to the EU institutions and partners. They can replace each other at events.

|->Progress 1H 2017
A job ad has been announced and the applications are being reviewed.