I thought you would like to see the video message to the Prime Minister recorded by some of your performer colleagues. You can view it here http://www.ppluk.com/fairplay and, if you feel inspired, you can even record your own video message and send it in. The video message was delivered this morning to the Prime Minister, urging him to support musicians and our industry by backing the Copyright Term Directive.

 

His Minister, John Denham, is still refusing to support us and he has been attempting to block this Directive in discussions in the European Council of Ministers. A number of musicians have now written to their local MPand we are noticing that this is increasing the pressure on the Government to review their position. I would like to repeat my thanks to you for taking the trouble to take this up with your MP. If you have not yet done this, there is still time. You can find your MPs at www.locata.co.uk/commons. Please send them the link to the video.

 

The arguments remain the same. It is only fair that performers should have the same copyright term as other artists, such as composers, lyricists, photographers, authors and graphic artists. They get life plus 70. We are limited to 50 years from the release of the recording.

 

The USA has increased copyright term for performers and producers to 95 years. The European Commission has drafted the Copyright Term Directive to take our copyright term up to 95 years. The French and German governments are supporting this. In the UK, the opposition parties, the Culture Select Committee and numerous backbench MPs support this proposal. But our own Government continues to refuse to back this Directive.

 

The UK Government needs to hear that we are not giving up on this. Musicians deserve a fair copyright term.

 

FRAN NEVRKLA

Chairman & CEOPPL and VPL

 

PPL

1 Upper James Street, London W1F 9DE

T +44 (0)20 7534 1000 / F +44 (0)20 7534 1111

 

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