The journalists associations DJU (German Journalists Union), DJV (German Journalists Association) and Reporters Without Borders, together with the associations Wikimedia and "FragDenStaat" have called for public freedom for all state works.
In an open letter to Federal Minister of Justice Christine Lambrecht (SPD), the signatories refer to the legal dispute between the Federal Government and the "FragDenStaat" platform regarding the publication of a glyphosate report from the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment.
The Federal Institute is currently suing again before the regional court Cologne against "FragDenStaat", because the activists had published the opinion without permission of the authority. Among other things, the paper deals with studies on tumors which could have been triggered by the weed killer glyphosate.
Now in front of the Regional Court of Cologne
The Institute's attempt to halt publication by citing a copyright injunction failed in July. Now it is in the main thing again before the Regional Court of Cologne. The organizations are in favor of amending the Copyright Act to the effect that "such attacks on civil society organizations and the media are no longer possible".
In the course of the forthcoming implementation of the EU Directive on copyright in the Digital Single Market, the provisions of the German Copyright Act on official works should be designed in such a way that the intended free access of citizens and media to state publications is practically facilitated, they demand. The copyright exception should generally be applied to "other official works" so that they are, in case of doubt, copyright free.
"FragDenStaat" is a 2011 founded project of the Open Knowledge Foundation Germany. Citizens can submit information requests to authorities through the project's website.