July 3, 2017

On Thursday 29 June, PRS for Music hosted an evening of discussion and debate with PRS Explores: EU Copyright Reform. Well-known figures from the European Commission and Parliament discussed the copyright reform issues currently at stake in the EU alongside high-profile speakers from the music industry, including PRS for Music Chief Executive, Robert Ashcroft.

The event took a close look at legislative proposals put forward by the European Commission in September 2016. PRS for Music explains that, currently under review by the European institutions, the proposed changes to copyright law could see an impact on the royalties creators receive when their works are used and/or played online.

YouTube and its role in the music industry was at the very heart of the discussion; the debate around the liability of online services that provide access to creative works remains high on the agenda across the industry.

As a membership organisation representing songwriters and composers, PRS for Music says that it continues to be at the forefront of protecting their rights. It has long lobbied the EU institutions for reforms to address the “transfer of value”, calling for a solution to the situation which enables platforms that host user-generated content to generate vast revenues without the consent or proper remuneration of creators. To read some of the main quotes from the evening, click here.