Staying with the songwriting side of the industry, and Universal Music Publishing's big MIDEM announcement was the launch of a pan-European licence, which will be available via a new JV with French collecting societies SACEM (performing rights) and SDRM (mechanical rights).
Universal's pan-European licence is similar to the one offered by EMI Music Publishing via its partnership with UK and German collecting societies MCPS-PRS and GEMA, except that, unlike EMI, Universal will continue to allow individual collecting societies in Europe to licence its songs within their own territories - the EMI deal with MCPS-PRS and GEMA is exclusive.