Google announced on Wednesday that it was close to an agreement with the Alliance Française de la Presse d'Information générale (APIG) on the very conflictual issue of “
neighboring rights
”, on the eve of a judicial decision on the subject.
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"
Our discussions (...) could make it possible to validate the key principles of an agreement
", indicates Google in a
press
release which also quotes Pierre Louette, boss of the
Les Échos-Le Parisien group
and negotiator for the general press, according to which these discussions made it possible to "
confirm that Google accepted (...) to give reality to neighboring rights
".
"
The last few weeks have made it possible to clarify many points and to confirm that Google accepted the principle of remuneration for our press titles
", indicates Mr. Louette in the
press
release.
For his part, the general manager of Google France, Sébastien Missoffe, welcomed "
the progress of negotiations conducted in recent months with press editors within the framework of the French law on neighboring rights
".
"
We want to support journalism and ensure the continuity of access to as many people as possible to quality content
," he added.
Google and a large part of the French press are in conflict over how to apply European legislation known as “
neighboring rights
”, which should make it possible to remunerate press publishers when Google uses their content on its pages, in particular for its service Google News news.
Google has so far refused to pay for these neighboring rights, and press editors have accused it of not respecting French and European law.
Google's press release does not mention the ongoing discussions with other parties such as AFP and the Syndicate of Magazine Editors.
Google's announcement comes on the eve of a decision from the Paris Court of Appeal related to the case.
The court must say whether the Competition Authority was right to impose last April on the American internet giant to negotiate on neighboring rights with the press publishers who so wished.
Read also: Neighboring law: the discussions at a standstill
According to a source close to the case questioned by AFP, the agreement that is emerging between APIG and Google will apply regardless of the decision taken by the court of appeal.