Europe-wide amendments to copyright law, which would have given added legal protection to publishers online, have been sent back to the drawing board after European Parliament members voted against it today.

Publishing associations supported the changes and had been encouraging MEPs to vote in favour of the bill, but faced competition from Google who asked members of its Digital News Initiative to persuade MEPS to oppose it.

In today’s full parliament meeting, MEPS voted against the legislation by a majority of 40 (318 vs 278), meaning it is now on-hold before a further debate in September.