The Stage

Campaigners await important copyright extension vote

Published Tuesday 10 February 2009 at 14:50 by Lalayn Baluch

The first “crucial” vote on proposals to almost double the term of copyright protection for performers on sound recordings is to take place in Europe this week.

The European Parliament’s legal affairs committee is due to decide whether the legislation, which proposes that musicians should receive royalties for 95 years rather than the current 50 years, should be adopted.

Although the decision will have to be ratified by all 785 MEPs at a ballot which is currently being scheduled for the end of March, music campaigners say that this week’s vote will have a huge impact on the parliament’s final decision.

The issue will later be discussed by the Council of the European Union, the EU’s principal decision-making body.

Ahead of this week’s vote, licensing body PPL has created a video aimed at MEPs that argues the case for the extension and features musician Pat Halling - the violinist on the Beatles’ tracks Eleanor Rigby and All You Need is Love, which are no longer protected under copyright laws.

PPL director of government relations Dominic McGonigal said: “It was making sure that the UK government really backs us in the council [of ministers] and to provide a little bit of support for the MEPs when they come to vote in the European Parliament.

“We want to make sure that the MEPs really understand the issue and understand the situation that performers are in. I am hoping we will get a positive vote for the directive and that will help the legislation get approved.”

The organisation also held a parliamentary reception last week, where intellectual property minister David Lammy voiced his support for an extension, although he did not specify how long such an extension should be. In December, culture minister Andy Burnham said he backed extending the term to 70 years.