SoundExchange Praises European Union Court Decision On Equal Treatment for Creators
In Affirming "National Treatment" Principle, European Court of Justice Rejects Unfair Treatment of Music Creators Based on Nationality
WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SoundExchange praised the European Court of Justice's ruling ordering European Union countries to treat music creators equally regardless of their nationality, recognizing this as an important milestone in the fight to ensure music fairness.
The ECJ ruling stemmed from a case in Ireland regarding whether US music creators should be paid royalties when their music is played on Irish radio or in places such as restaurants or bars. Some countries deny foreign music creators royalties for the use of their work even though royalties are otherwise paid to artists who are nationals of those countries.
The ruling has broad implications for music creators around the world. By adopting the principle of "national treatment" – that a country should provide foreign entities the same benefits and protections as it would its own citizens – the ECJ is setting the stage for all artists to be paid royalties when their music is played on EU radio broadcasts and public performances.
"Today's decision by the European Court of Justice reflects a growing global recognition that countries should treat all music creators the same, regardless of their nationality. The ECJ reaffirmed equal treatment as a fundamental principle of how nations engage with one another," said SoundExchange President and CEO Michael Huppe.
"We appreciate the leadership of Ireland's RAAP in advancing the cause of fairness within the global community of music creators. We urge EU member states to quickly follow suit so that ALL musicians and labels, from whatever territory, can be properly respected for the benefits they provide beyond their home country," added Huppe.
The ruling comes as the United States and United Kingdom undertake negotiations on a post-Brexit trade agreement. A broad spectrum of organizations representing artists, publishers, musicians and managers have urged negotiators to insist that national treatment be included in the final US-UK trade agreement.
Unfair treatment denies US music creators an estimated $330 million in direct global royalty payments a year. For more information on the Fair Trade of Music campaign, please go to www.fairtradeofmusic.com.
About SoundExchange
SoundExchange provides royalty solutions for sound recordings and music publishing. The organization collects and distributes digital performance royalties on behalf of more than 202,000 recording artists' and master rights owners' accounts. Its technology solutions help turn massive amounts of data into accurate revenue for creators and include: Music Data Exchange (MDX), International Standard Recording Codes (ISRC) Search, and the Notice of Intention to Use (NOI) LOOKUP. To date, SoundExchange has paid out more than $7 billion in royalties. For more information, visit www.SoundExchange.com.
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