Strasbourg, 14/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 14 March, the European Parliament adopted, without amendment, the own initiative report by Hungarian Socialist MEP Katalin Lévai on the Commission recommendation of October 2005 on collective cross-border management of copyright and neighbouring rights in the area of online music services (see EUROPE 9049 and 9376). It calls on the Commission to bring forward as quickly as possible a draft framework directive on this matter. This initiative will have to take account of the specificity of the digital era and safeguard European cultural diversity, and promote fair and monitored competition, without any territorial restrictions.
MEPs would like to see pan-European licences. The tariff applicable to these licences would be the same as the one applied in the country where the protected work is consumed. The EP rejected the eight amendments put by the ALDE group. One of these called on member states to publish calls for tender for exclusive supply rights by collecting societies. (mb)