News

In view of the upcoming Directive on Collective Rights Management, 16 European Collective Management Organisations expressed their wish to explore the possibility of creating a licensing and administrative vehicle for the online and mobile market in Europe.

The European Commission’s proposed Directive on Collective Rights Management will have a significant impact on the way authors’ societies will conduct their business. In order to be able to continue to serve their members effectively, and to defend local repertoires and the important role of smaller and  medium sized   collecting  societies  in  the  European  context,  several Collective Management Organisations shared their experiences and insights.

Having met in Amsterdam in May and in Washington DC in early June 2013, these organizations expressed their intention to work together to research the possibility for a vehicle for licensing and administration of rights for the online and mobile environment.

Their vision is to create an efficient, cooperative, multi-­‐territorial, multi-­‐ repertoire  licensing  and  administrative  vehicle  for  the  online  and  mobile market  in  Europe. This  in  order  to  enhancethe  value  for  local  repertoire around  Europe,  safeguard  cultural  diversity  and  reduce  complexity  and processing cost for both rights holders and Music Service Providers

The possibility will be explored for the creation of an efficient, cost-­‐effective licensing and administrative vehicle with the purpose to secure and build value for local repertoire around Europe and reduce complexity for their customers on the basis of:

Just like the rest of us, creators deserve to be fairly paid for the work they do. By and large, music fans do appreciate this and are willing to compensate the artists they love for the privilege of copying their work. This philosophy forms the basis of Europe’s private copying framework and – no matter how many wonderful, innovative devices have been developed since its inception – it still holds true. After all, a creator born today is entitled to the same protection as a creator born 50 years ago.

Unfortunately, the importance of private copying to Europe’s creative fabric and  creators is not clear to everyone. In February this year Antonio Vitorino published a series of recommendations that undermine the value of private copying levies, threatening the interests of rights holders (artists) and consumers and privileging the profits of big (largely non-European) business.

We spoke at the time about our disappointment at the recommendations. Now, it’s crucial that the European Commission and member states consider the failings of Mr Vitorino’s work and take a more balanced approach.

In recent months, we have been working hard with numerous like-minded rightsholder organisations to convey to Brussels’ decision-makers why and how Mr Vitorino’s recommendations fall so short of satisfactory.

Last week, the debate picked up pace. First, in the Legal Affairs Committee of The European Parliament there was a presentation of the recommendations. On the same day, in the Competitiveness Council, Mr Vitorino gave a presentation of the recommendations followed by an exchange of views. Although Mr Vitorino’s work was considered to be the start of further discussions on the issue, the majority of members expressed initial reservations on certain issues and suggested waiting for more analytical data as well as the results of the pending cases at the European Court of Justice before starting any legislative work or changing the private copy compensation system.

Finally, on Thursday there was a breakfast hosted by MEP Antonio Masip Hidalgo and organised by Spanish collective rights management societies entitled “Spanish private copying system under scrutiny”. Why the situation in Spain is so harmful not only for rightholders but also for consumers was clearly underlined by a Spanish consumer organisation. (Please see the speech)

Needless to say, it looks set to be a game-changing time for this debate. We’ll keep you posted here on this site.