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European Parliament edges closer to musicians’ copyright extension

Published Friday 13 February 2009 at 11:15 by Lalayn Baluch

The European Parliament’s legal affairs committee has voted in favour of a copyright term extension for musicians on sound recordings.

It has backed the European Commission’s proposal to increase the term of protection from 50 to 95 years.

The decision paves the way for the proposal to become European law, if the parliament of 785 MEPs vote in the same way during a plenary session on March 11.

Any extension will then have to be ultimately approved by the Council of Ministers, the EU’s main decision-making body.

Musician’s Union general secretary John Smith told The Stage: “We’ve still got to wait for the vote at the parliament’s plenary session on March 11th, before it’s done and dusted, but as things stand I’m delighted at yesterday’s decision.”

Meanwhile, a spokesman from umbrella body UK Music said: “In recommending that the current term of copyright protection for sound recordings is extended to 95 years, the committee has recognised the value of music and the importance of the work of artists, musicians and entrepreneurs, both now and in the future, and that parity with other creators is fair and just.”

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