Pan-European indie label trade body IMPALA have met with European Commissioner for Culture, Ján Figel, at MIDEM, to specifically discuss the big issues faced by independent record companies across the EU, in particular in getting equality with major record companies in the growing digital and mobile music sectors.
The meeting comes as Figel prepares a green paper on the cultural industries. IMPALA have said they think the independent cultural sector should have its own chapter in that report.
While the meeting was held in private, IMPALA say they were encouraged by their discussion with the Commissioner.
IMPALA co-President and !K7 chief Horst Weidenmueller told CMU: "Discrimination of independents online is something that has been overlooked for some time. That this is being recognised at European level is a great step forward. It is now a question of whether the Commission will be able to keep up with the evolution of the market".
His co-President, and boss Michel Lambot, added: "IMPALA has always said that the concentration that exists in the physical market must not happen in the new online market, but this is the case. This is something that the Commission urgently needs to act on and turn its vocal support of the independents into concrete actions".
As for Figel, he said this: "This year is the European year of Creativity and Innovation. What we must remember is that for music SMEs , like those represented by IMPALA, every year is a year of creativity and innovation. Direct dialogue with IMPALA members is vital because of the specific contribution made by cultural SMEs to Europe in economic, social and cultural terms - we must understand their markets and foster the conditions necessary to give them the support they need".