Brussels, 11/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - The music sector has a bearing on Community policy in cultural, educational and social terms and also because of its economic importance. In order to analyse the developments in this sector, where new communication technologies have an increasingly important role to play, and explore ways in which Community policy can complement these changes, the Belgian Presidency, with the support of the European Commission, is organising a conference on music in Europe. It will be held in the Palais d'Egmont in Brussels on 13 October. Over 200 participants will discuss the structure of the music market, the management of authors' royalties, piracy, legal and fiscal obstacles to the movement of musical works and musicians, training in music and the role of multimedia libraries in facilitating access to music. The conference will identify areas in which Community policy influences music in Europe and will involve discussions on how to maintain and increase the competitiveness of the music sector, which employs over 600,000 people across the European Union and represents a global market of more than EUR 40 billion.