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Music Copyright In EU Extended To 70 Years

Posted by kdawson on from the how-about-residuals-for-my-lines-of-code dept.

rastos1 writes "The European Parliament extended the copyright in the EU for the performers of musical works from 50 to 70 years. The legislation will be reviewed in 3 years. The European Commission will consider extending the scope to audiovisual works too." So performers will collect for 20 more years from the date of performance; composers' rights already extend to 70 years beyond their deaths. Update: 4/26 at 12:15 GMT by SS: Reader rimberg points out that while the copyright extension was passed in the European Parliament, it is now being held up in the Council of Ministers awaiting further debate on the issue.

3 of 395 comments (clear)

  1. Wow, this looks like it actually benefits artists! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    ..and the public.

    According to the approved legislation, if producers, 50 years after the publication of a phonogram, do not make it available to the public, performers can ask to terminate the contract they signed to transfer their rights to the label.

    That would SO never pass in the US.

  2. Harmony by slashqwerty · · Score: 4, Informative

    The US already grants copyright up to 70 years after the author's death. They're just doing this to harmonize their laws with the United States. But wait, in 2002 the key argument presented to the Supreme Court in Eldred v. Ashcroft is that we extended copyright to harmonize with the European Union.

  3. Re:Insightful? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Highlighting shared sentiment? Copyright is after all the balance of artist income and value to society through public works. If society at large believes there to be no balance then the gp was insightful.