After a decades-long dispute, an EU advocate general has said that sampling is only permissible when the author approves. "Sampling" is a technique that extracts bits of another work, such as a rhythmic sequence, and incorporates them into a new composition. Striking a balanceFirst going through the rounds of German courts, in 2016, Germany's Federal Court of Justice referred the lawsuit to the ECJ. Szpunar's conclusion that copyright holders must grant approval for sampling is in line with the European Union's fundamental rights, even though copyright and related rights "are likely to restrict the exercise of certain fundamental rights, in particular, the freedom of expression and the freedom of the arts," he said in a press release. "Intellectual property is itself protected as a fundamental right to property," he pointed out.

Source: Daily News Egypt December 12, 2018 22:18 UTC