UK Music has urged British MEPs to back major changes to copyright law.
CEO Michael Dugher called on the UK’s European parliamentarians to back the proposed Copyright Directive following its approval by the JURI committee.
The measures include Article 13, which would address music industry concerns around the so-called value gap surrounding user-generated content on video upload services such as YouTube. Services would have to filter out content or ensure the material was fully licensed for use.
The committee vote was welcomed by organisations such as CISAC and IMPALA. But the proposals, contested by proponents of the ‘open’ internet', still have to pass a vote of the European Parliament on July 4.
UK Music CEO Michael Dugher said: “Companies like YouTube pay only a fraction of the royalties of other music services. Not only does this badly distort the development of the digital economy, but it also fundamentally denies music creators, and those that invest in them, fair financial rewards.
“Google’s YouTube have made a fortune from music content that has been created by others. This is one of the great scandals of the internet age and it has to stop now. UK MEPs must now seize this opportunity to put this right. They should do the decent thing. We need to address the transfer of value and close the value gap once and for all.”
YouTube has been enjoying an increasingly harmonious relationship with the music industry following its launch of a subscription service and expanded songwriter credits.
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