The body that represents music retailers across Europe is calling on the various copyright / royalty groups to change the way they work in order to aid the growth of the online music market.
Trade body GERA, which counts UK music retail body BARD as a member, says the complicated and often hidden workings of the copyright bodies make it difficult for online music operations to get established, especially on a pan-European level. Speaking at a European Union conference on copyright GERA says that they are pleased the European Commission has already spoken on the need for more transparency from collecting societies, but stressed that any transparency must be "real, robust" and overseen by an independent body.
GERA President Hans Breukhoven said: "The way in which collecting societies currently function with respect to licensing for online distribution does little to promote a robust development of this market in the EU, nor does it realise the full potential for use of its members' works."