EU-wide Music Licensing Policies Published

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."

Comments

fear and jealousy

[Tom]

as collecting societies in smaller European countries fear that they will lose out to larger rivals, potentially restricting the development of new music.

Doesn't parse. For all I know, the amount of collected money that goes to new music, i.e. startup bands, young groups, etc. is so small that for all practical purposes you can treat it as being zero.

On the other hand, the amount that stays with the collecting societies to pay for "expanses" and "overhead" is considerable.

Sounds like someone seing his protection racket, uh, sorry, "business model" being washed away, nothing else.