IFPI Press Release, January 19, 1999

400 Recording Artists Ask European MEPS "Take A Stand for Copyright"

Jean Michel Jarre hands petition to EP President Gil-Robles before Parliament Vote

Brussels, January 19, 1999

Hundreds of Europe's recording artists, from jazz to pop and from classical to hard rock, today asked the European Parliament to protect their music from pirates in the age of the Internet. The appeal came in a Petition handed over by French artist-composer Jean Michel Jarre to the President of the European Parliament, Mr. Jose Maria Gil-Robles.

The petition, personally signed by some of Europe's best-known artists and musicians, comes in advance of a crucial vote by the Parliament on legislation that will shape the copyright conditions for music in the digital era. It urges MEPs, when they come to vote on the draft EU Copyright Directive, to "Take a Stand for Creativity; Take a Stand for Copyright." (The text of the Petition appears below).

The document, published throughout Europe and worldwide in the Financial Times on Tuesday, carries the signatures of top artists from 15 European countries. They include: Boyzone, the Corrs, Robbie Williams and Tom Jones; Italy's Eros Ramazzotti, Laura Pausini and Claudio Baglioni; classical artists Mstislav Rostropovich and Barbara Hendricks; German acts Die Fantastischen Vier, Loona, Nana and BAP; France's Patricia Kaas, Francis Cabrel and Jean-Jacques Goldman; Aqua from Denmark; Roxette from Sweden; Axelle Red from Belgium, Holland's Total Touch, and Paulo Gonzo from Portugal.

The campaign behind the Petition - entitled "Artists Unite for Copyright" - is spearheaded by Jean Michel Jarre with the assistance of IFPI, the organization representing the international recording industry. It is also backed by MEP and world-famous singer Nana Mouskouri who is Vice President of the Parliament's Culture Committee.

Mrs. Mouskouri also received the Petition, along with Members of the Parliament's Legal Affairs Committee. The Legal Affairs Committee is this week voting on amendments to the Copyright Directive before it goes to the full Parliament in Strasbourg for a debate scheduled for early February.

Speaking after handing over the Petition at the Parliament's Brussels headquarters, Jarre said: "Today hundreds of artists and musicians in Europe are asking the politicians of the European Parliament to take a stand and ensure that their upcoming review of copyright legislation allows us to be successful in the digital era.

"This will particularly affect newly emerging artists. Apart from talent, copyright is all an artist has to make a livelihood from music. We are looking for the rules we need to secure the future of European creativity in the age of the Internet - and we are looking for Europe's politicians to help."

IFPI, which represents more than 1,300 record producers and distributors worldwide, warmly endorsed the Petition. IFPI Chairman Jay Berman said: "The message being delivered by recording artists today is crucial to the future of music and creativity in the digital era. In the world of the Internet, we will all thrive if we have strong rights and proper technical controls; and without those rights and controls, we would all lose out to the pirates."

The draft EU Copyright Directive, aimed at amending copyright legislation to the technologies of the digital era, was proposed by the European Commission in December 1997. The music sector has worked in very close cooperation on the draft legislation with the Commission and the Parliament. Its aim is to ensure that the Directive gives composers, artists and producers the necessary rights and technical controls to deliver music via the Internet and other digital transmissions - and that it provides protection from the huge threat of digital and on-line piracy.

IFPI continually monitors the Internet for new infringing files and has seen a dramatic increase in this activity in the last few months. IFPI estimates that at any one time on the Internet there are in excess of 300,000 infringing files, each containing sound recordings posted without the authorization of the copyright owner. It is estimated that approximately 70,000 new pirate MP3 files are posted on the Internet by approximately 500 infringers every month.

Full Text of the Petition "Artists Unite for Copyright"
(Also available: Full Petition containing copies of some 400 artists' signatures)

IFPI Information Sheet - Copyright in the Digital Age
Artists Unite for Strong Copyright

Dear Members of the European Parliament:

We the undersigned are artists and musicians from around Europe. We make our living through our music. The music that we create touches the lives of millions of people all over the world. Our creativity and our success depend on strong copyright protection. We now need your help.

Europe has always been a fervent supporter of its artists and musicians through strong copyright protection. We need that support now more than ever. New copyright rules that will shape the digital era are presently being discussed in Brussels. Our prosperity and creativity in the future depend on you.

We want to use new digital technologies like the Internet to create and to deliver our music. But we will only feel confident doing so if we know that the laws are there to stop our works falling victim to pirates.

The digital era provides the technical systems for us to protect our works, but we need the laws to be able to use those systems. That is why the European Copyright Directive is so important. It must allow us to use technology to protect our works. It must make technology a friend and not an enemy of our creativity.

We urge you to promote the future of artists and musicians all over Europe. Take a stand for creativity. Take a stand for copyright. Stop Internet piracy. Help musicians use the Internet to get music to people across the world.

"Take a Stand for Creativity - Take a Stand for Copyright"

For further information contact:
Hanne Thorboll: 00 322 511 9208
Adrian Strain: 44 171 878 7939