The independent music companies’ association (IMPALA) has urged the music sector to add its voice to a European Union public consultation on copyright law reform launched in December and open until tomorrow (February 5).
IMPALA has set up an online questionnaire covering a range of copyright issues, including access to online services in other EU member states, multi-territorial licences and restrictions on services across the continent, so that music companies and rights-holders can feed back to the European Commission.
The Commission launched the consultation in an effort to review and modernise EU copyright rules and IMPALA believes that its challenge is to make Europe the best place in the world for creators.
IMPALA insists that Europe must reinforce creators’ fundamental freedoms and says that, instead of seeking to unpick copyright as requested by powerful lobby groups, Europe needs to hear from all those who believe creators should be free to earn a living and to decide how their work is exploited.
As the association says on the questionnaire, the future culture, creators and cultural industries in Europe depend on the outcome of the consultation being conducted by the EC.
According to IMPALA, completing even one question on the questionnaire could help to influence the future of European copyright and they argue that protecting the creative industries can help democracy, through freedom of speech, as well as preserving the richness of Europe’s cultural diversity.
Their final argument is that the cultural and creative industries could be the solution to the economic and unemployment crisis by generating millions of jobs and perspectives to youth in the bloc and providing growth and influence for the future of Europe.