Collecting Societies and Cultural Diversity in the Music Sector

Giuseppe Mazziotti, University of Copenhagen Faculty of Law
Thomas Hoeren, University of Muenster
Christine Altemark, University of Muenster
Violaine Dehin, University of Namur
Maria-José Iglesias, University of Namur
Evangelia Psychogiopoulou, Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy
Katharine Sarikakis, University of Leeds
Eleftherios Zacharias, Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB)

Abstract

The study ‘Collecting Societies and Cultural Diversity in the Music Sector’ was commissioned by the European Parliament in order to take stock of recent market developments in the field of music rights management and examine how EU policy on music rights licensing affects (or might affect) cultural diversity in the music sector. The study is based on the premise that music rights management may have major repercussions on creative activity and the market availability of diversified musical content. The business model used for the collection and distribution of revenues to right holders can affect the volume of creative output and condition the presence of different types of music repertoire in the market.

With a view to investigating the cultural ramifications of recent EU action in the field of music rights management and relevant market developments, in-depth research has been carried out in five EU Member States, which were selected as ‘case-studies’: Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. Research was coordinated by the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) and drew on the expertise of a team of academics and research fellows that specialise in intellectual property matters.