UK Government Does U Turn on Copyright Directive

The Government had given its assurance that they were looking after performers through the Copyright Term Directive. However, at a crucial meeting today in Brussels, the UK Government has voted against the Copyright Term Directive.

The Copyright Term Directive, drafted by the European Commission, proposes a copyright term of 95 years to bring musicians in line with other creators.

In December, the UK Government announced a change of heart that they accepted that copyright term should be extended. British Government culture secretary Andy Burnham said in a speech to the Creators' Conference that they accepted that the term should be extended in principle and recommended that copyright terms for sound recordings should be extended to 70 years, from the current 50 years, after the release of the recording.

PPL (Phonographic Performance Ltd) in conjunction with the MU, BPI and AIM, today issued the following statement:

“The British music sector is very disappointed by the absence of agreement on an extension for performers and sound recording rights at the COREPER meeting today, and particularly that our own government, despite its recent positive statements, did not vote in favour of the proposal at this meeting.

“The UK music sector has lived up to its commitments by reaching an agreement, as demanded by Ministers, that will deliver real benefits to musicians in an extended term. In continuing to hold out for further changes, the government has not heeded the repeated pleas of the very musicians it claims to support, who strongly encouraged it to vote for the proposal today.

“We call on the government to work with us urgently to match its supportive rhetoric with concrete action, by moving heaven and earth to reach an agreement under this EU Presidency that will deliver an improved term of copyright for performers and music companies.”

We would welcome your comments on this.