The Bookseller has a sampling of comments from Europe:
In Europe, where many of the objectors resided, the judge’s decision has been broadly welcomed. Tim Godfray, chief executive of the Booksellers Association said: “We have always taken the view that the Amended Settlement Agreement, if approved, would give Google a significant advantage over its competitors. As such it would have been a bridge too far.”
Copyright Licensing Agency chief executive Kevin Fitzgerald, said: “We fully support digital publishing but the proposed settlement would have granted Google full access to copyrighted works that it otherwise would have no right to exploit.”
The German Publishers and Booksellers Association (Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels) said it was an “important day for copyright law”. Dr Gottfried Honnefelder, president of the Börsenverein, added: “The ruling by Judge Chin demonstrates to the entire world that intellectual property rights cannot be suspended for private or commercial interests.”
