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http://europa.eu.int/information_society/activities/digital_libraries/doc/communication/results_of_online_consultation_en.pdf4.4) Is the issue of orphan material economically important and relevant in practice? If yes,what technical, organisational and legal mechanisms could be used to facilitate wider useof this material?- Several replies indicate that the issue of orphan material is a real problem that may beexacerbated by the convergence of digital media. They stress the economic interest andpotential of orphan works, next to its cultural and historical value. However, the issue is notequally relevant for all communities: a number of smaller cultural institutions indicate theyare not concerned. Some replies underline the relevance of orphan material for massdigitisation processes in view of the cost intensity of clearing rights. The replies that identifyorphan material as a problem call for a clear legal position for the use of such material to easethe handling costs. Reference is also made to a recent major US consultation on this issue.- Proposed solutions for handling orphan works vary widely: they range from changingcopyright legislation to developing better tools for locating right owners and making acommon European code for dealing with this type of material. Several replies propose togeneralise the Nordic model of extended collective licensing for orphan works, whereas otherreplies recommend the French model as operated for audiovisual orphan works. The Canadianmodel is also mentioned, in which collecting societies do not play a role. A reserve fund issuggested to compensate authors if they are found after all. Some replies want to go muchfurther, e.g. by making orphan works generally useable until a copyright holder opposes(eventually after a certain period a work has been advertised as an orphan work), or bycreating a legal ‘safe haven’ for people using orphan works. Rightholders and collectingsocieties are generally opposed to legislative change to accommodate the orphan works issue.- The absence of an overview of orphan works is seen as a serious problem. Up-to-datedatabases of orphan material would help. For running these databases the public could beinvolved, as well as the collecting societies.- The attention is drawn to the need to prevent a further extension of the orphan worksproblem: proposed solutions range from expanding the public domain (e.g. by reducing theterm of protection) to the use of technical mechanisms for identification of the owner and theobject.Comment I cannot understand why this problem is underestimated by German archives (e.g. see the Bundesarchiv statement).