Microsoft and DPCMO enter into a licence agreement

Today, the Danish Press Publications’ Collective Management Organisation, DPCMO, and Microsoft have entered into an interim licence agreement regarding publisher content on Microsoft’s search engine, Bing. This happens in continuation of the Memorandum of Understanding, which the parties signed in September 2022. With the licence agreement Microsoft becomes the first major technology company to pay remuneration to the Danish press publishers in accordance with the EU Copyright Directive and the Danish transposition hereof.

Anders Krab-Johansen, chairman of the DPCMO said: “A free and diverse press is a necessity in a democracy. Every single day publishers invest in creating trustworthy information to the public and ensuring that governments are accountable to the people. This is our purpose. And it takes commitments and investments. To ensure the sustainability of the publishing industry and thereby foster the availability of reliable information, EU and Denmark have introduced a harmonised legal protection for press publishers in respect of online use by big tech companies. We appreciate that Microsoft, as the first tech company in Denmark, acknowledges the importance of a free press and contributes to the Danish media ecosystem.”

Nanna-Louise Wildfang Linde, Vice President, European Government Affairs for Microsoft said: “We are pleased to reach this agreement with the Danish Press Publications’ Collective Management Organisation. Free, independent, and open media is the foundation of any vibrant democracy. As digitalization continues to shape and transform how we produce and consume media, it’s crucial that we come together across media and technology sectors to secure the viability of quality journalism. Microsoft looks forward to our continued collaboration with publishers in Denmark and across Europe to make sure our technology benefits democracy and the free press.”