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EU-wide Music Licensing Policies Published

Posted by samzenpus on from the pay-more-or-less dept.

www-xenu-dot-net writes "To stimulate the online music business in Europe, EU Commissioner Charlie McCreevy is recommending the elimination of territorial restrictions on the licensing and copyright enforcement of online music. Until now, so called licensing collection societies have enjoyed monopolies within their countries. (For online sales, the collecting societies typically charge 12 percent of the retail price today, compared to 9 percent on CDs.) EU Socialist Group leader Martin Schulz has called Mr McCreevy a "loose cannon whose arrogant opinions have provoked anti-EU feeling across Europe." That impression might not change with the new recommendation, as collecting societies in smaller European countries fear that they will lose out to larger rivals, potentially restricting the development of new music."

4 of 136 comments (clear)

  1. useless topic by tolonuga · · Score: 4, Funny

    wow, two links that have nothing to do with the music.
    was this item submitted by some random topic generator?

  2. you people still just don't get it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    You aren't meant to click on the links or attempt to visit the sites quoted in any way.
    Noob

    1. Re:you people still just don't get it by mu22le · · Score: 2, Funny

      What?!? You are supposed to open the links in background to slashdot them!
      Where do you live? In kuro5hin?

  3. The end of an old joke... by cardpuncher · · Score: 2, Funny

    If the British collection society should disappear, it would be the death of an old and venerable joke which goes back as least as far as Morecambe and Wise:

    Are you from the Performing Rights Society?

    Well, tell these musicians they aren't performing right.

    It sounded better in black and white...