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Artists call on European Parliament to ensure performer rights are key to the copyright debate
By Chris Cooke | Published on Tuesday 20 October 2015
The Featured Artists Coalition yesterday issued an urgent call to the European Parliament demanding it ensure that performer rights be included in the European Union’s current review of copyright law.
The UK’s FAC and the globally-focused International Artists Organisation is launching a campaign called Artists In Europe in a bid to “ensure that protection for artists’ intellectual property sits at the heart of the new legislation”.
Continuing recent debates in the artist and songwriter communities, the FAC and IAO say that to achieve a “vibrant creative cultural music industry in the digital age” both the business and law-makers need to ensure there is transparency throughout the music value chain and that there is an enhanced duty of care from corporations so that artists know their interests are protected. Artists should also share in the profits from all the ways their music is exploited.
FAC boss Paul Pacifico says: “To ensure a vibrant creative cultural music industry in the digital age, it is essential that the review of copyright currently underway in Europe puts the rights of creators and artists front and centre of any new legislation. If not, we stand to lose an essential part of our revenues. In the digital world, consumers are switching to digital and using on-demand streaming platforms to replace radio-like services. However, as consumers transition from old world to new, our remuneration rights fall away. Unless we act now, we may lose them forever”.
Meanwhile FAC board member and Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason adds: “Artists are not looking to fight technology, or the fantastic access digital services and technology gives music fans. We want to foster innovation and push the uptake of these new and exciting opportunities for communication and creativity. However, we must make sure that the system pays back the artists of the future whose hard work and talent will make the services successful for the long term”.
Artists wanting to support the FAC and IAO’s work to ensure performer rights are the agenda in Europe are encouraged to visit www.fair-internet.eu.
As previously reported, the UK’s Music Managers Forum and CMU Insights last week published a report designed to inform this very debate, explaining how music copyright works, how streaming services are licensed, and what issues artists and their managers currently face. You can download a free copy here.
