User generated content (UGC) platforms such as YouTube may by required by the European Commission (EC) to seek licenses or revenue-sharing deals with music rightsholders.
According to reports in Reuters, the EC is looking at imposing an obligation on UGC platforms to seek agreements with rightsholders ‘reflecting the economic value of the use made of the protected content’.
The news agency said it has seen a draft paper of proposals, which contain suggestions of copyright licenses or monetisation agreements, such as sharing of revenue (an option that is already widely used).
Apparently, the EC also wants online sharing platforms to put in place ‘appropriate and proportionate measures, such as content identification technologies, to ensure the functioning’ of the agreements with rightsholders.
The proposal is still being discussed and the final version is expected in late September.
The news comes as rightsholders, the wider music industry and MEPs express their concern of the growing ‘value gap’ between the creators and UGC platforms.
In June, 58 MEPs called on the EC to close the value gap by clarifying the status of those services operating under safe harbour laws.
In a signed letter addressed to President Juncker, they said that despite more creative content being consumed today than ever before, creators and rightsholders have not seen a comparable increase in revenues.
Since then, songwriters and artists across Europe have written open letters demanding change.
Related:
PRS CEO: We cannot live in a broken digital market
According to reports in Reuters, the EC is looking at imposing an obligation on UGC platforms to seek agreements with rightsholders ‘reflecting the economic value of the use made of the protected content’.
The news agency said it has seen a draft paper of proposals, which contain suggestions of copyright licenses or monetisation agreements, such as sharing of revenue (an option that is already widely used).
Apparently, the EC also wants online sharing platforms to put in place ‘appropriate and proportionate measures, such as content identification technologies, to ensure the functioning’ of the agreements with rightsholders.
The proposal is still being discussed and the final version is expected in late September.
The news comes as rightsholders, the wider music industry and MEPs express their concern of the growing ‘value gap’ between the creators and UGC platforms.
In June, 58 MEPs called on the EC to close the value gap by clarifying the status of those services operating under safe harbour laws.
In a signed letter addressed to President Juncker, they said that despite more creative content being consumed today than ever before, creators and rightsholders have not seen a comparable increase in revenues.
Since then, songwriters and artists across Europe have written open letters demanding change.
Related:
PRS CEO: We cannot live in a broken digital market
