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

SIAE are thieving bastards

[DavidNWelton]

Italy's 'SIAE' group are a bunch of thieving bastards who do much to detriment musical culture in this country.

It cost us something like 150 Euro in taxes just to have a duo play for a few hours at our wedding! To add insult to injury, because our wedding reception was in a different province, we *had to go to the office of these thieving bastards in that province* (open from like 10-12 on certain days) - we couldn't even pay their larcenous fees in our home town.

The taxes are so high that young, aspiring musicians like my wife's brother, who certainly isn't in it for the money at this point in his life, has trouble finding places to play because it's just too expensive in terms of taxes for everyone concerned.

Not only that, but these rats have successfully campaigned to tax the sale of blank CD's, "because they're all used for piracy anyway, right?".

What a bunch of despicable individuals.

Yes, I'm bitter and I just thought I'd get that off my chest.

Re:SIAE are thieving bastards

[MooCows]

Here in the Netherlands, all blank media is taxed over 100%.
CD's which cost around E0,20 apiece without tax cost over E0,60 with tax.
The organisation responsible (Buma-Stemra) also has the power to seize all untaxed blank media being sold and then fine the seller. It has recently been discovered they have also been illegally selling off the seized media.

This organisation (given this 'privilege' by our government) brings in millions of euros each year, and nobody knows where exactly this money is going.
The poor starving artists get paid, right?

you people still just don't get it

[Anonymous Coward]

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

The correct article.....

[kg4czo]

I believe the actual article that this is supposed to be pointing at it here.

McCreevy no friend of geeks

[Sanity]

This is the guy who dismissed anti-patent campaigners as being anti-globalisation, anti-big business, and anti-American (he stopped short of "communist"), and who has refused to challenge the European Patent Office's practice of granting software patents even though this is expressly prohibited by European law.

I trust him about as far as a 3 year old child could throw him.

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.