Copyright guard for music compositions

The approved report, drafted by Brian Crowley (UEN, IE), amends on hand legislation to increase the copyright guard for music compositions to 95 years.

To ensure that performers fully enjoy the extra royalties deriving from copyright extension, the committee amended the original text so as to prevent the use of previous contractual agreements to remove money from the additional royalties.

A fund intended for session musicians

A dedicated fund for session musicians was also standard by the committee. This fund would be financed by charity from producers, who would be obliged to set aside for this purpose, at least once a year, at least 20% of the revenues gained from the planned extension of copyright term.

Committee members also amend a provision relating to this fund so as to give collecting societies, which symbolize performers’ and producers’ interests, the right to administer the annual supplementary remuneration.

Copyright addition for audiovisual works, too?

The committee also asked the Commission to launch an impact evaluation of the situation in the European audiovisual sector by January 2010, with a view to decide whether a similar copyright extension would advantage the audiovisual world.