Brussels, 20/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 20 February, the Competitiveness Council adopted the directive on collective management of copyright and multiterritorial licensing of online music.
The aim of the directive is to facilitate access to online music, and member states will have two years to incorporate the new provisions of the directive into domestic law. The pillar of the directive is to simplify licences being obtained from an international copyright collective management organisation instead of multiplying the demand for licences per country. This should allow consumers to enjoy a much wider choice to download music or to listen to it in streaming mode. It will also stimulate the development of new models to music access.
The directive also ensures that artists have more control over the management of their rights. Artists will be able to choose between the individual or collective management of their rights, and will be able to take part in decisions on the use of rights, and the collection and distribution of the revenues from these rights. Artists will also be assured of quicker remuneration.
The new directive comes as part the European Commission's wide-ranging drive to bring copyright legislation into line with the digital age. (MD/transl.fl)