Further to the publication of the EC's Impact Assessment into the Cross-Border Collective Management of Copyright yesterday, Emma Pike, Director General of British Music Rights said:

"We welcome the publication of the European Commission's impact assessment into collective licensing. There is no question that it makes sense to streamline the licensing of online services. Composers, songwriters and music publishers, as the clients of collecting societies, need to be at the heart of these discussions. Any course of action must ensure that they receive fair reward for their work and that any competition introduced between societies is geared towards maximising efficiency and transparency in the services they receive from societies. We look forward to working with the European Commission on this initiative."

For further information:
British Music Rights
T: 020 7306 4446
E: britishmusic@bmr.org

Notes for Editors:

British Music Rights was established to promote greater awareness of the interests and concerns of British music composers, songwriters and publishers to UK and EU policymakers and the wider public. The primary focus is to communicate an understanding of the rights and rewards for creativity in the music business. Our member organisations are the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters, the Music Publishers Association, the Performing Right Society and the Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society.