GovWire

• the government is considering changes to how foreign record labels and foreign recording artists qualify for rights to be paid when their music is broadcast or played in public

• broadcasting and public playing of music generated revenues of over 188 million in the UK in 2022

• IPO consultation proposes different options for amending the law and seeks views from those who could be affected

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has launched a consultation on potential changes to copyright law.

UK copyright law gives performers (such as musicians) and copyright owners (such as record labels) the right to be paid when their sound recordings are broadcast or played in public in the UK.

Not every country provides similar rights. This means that UK performers and UK copyright owners are not always paid when their music is broadcast or played in public in other countries.

Almost all foreign copyright owners qualify for this right to be paid in the UK, regardless of whether the other country provides similar rights to UK nationals. But foreign performers are treated differently to foreign copyright owners. Foreign performers only qualify for this right in the UK if they are from a country that provides similar rights to UK nationals.

The consultation considers changes to how UK law provides these rights to foreign copyright owners and foreign performers. Several options are under consideration.

The IPO wants to hear from anyone who may be affected by a change to the law. This includes recording artists, record labels, collecting societies, broadcasters, and public venues that play music.

The consultation will close on 11 March 2024. The government will consider responses and publish its response, including its proposed approach, in due course afterwards.

The IPOs Chief Executive Adam Williams said:

This consultation is focused on an important and complex issue, and its crucial that we gather a range of evidence and views. We strongly urge anyone with an interest in this topic to have their say and respond to the consultation by 11 March 2024.

More information on the consultation and how to respond is available on our consultation web page.

Notes to editors:

• this consultation is only about remuneration from broadcasting, or from the public playing of sound recordings. Examples of these would include AM/FM and DAB radio, or when recorded music is played in a nightclub or gym. It is not about on-demand streaming of music (such as when recorded music is streamed through Spotify or Apple Music)
• the options under consideration are set out on the consultation web page
• the broadcasting and public playing revenue figure reported is from PPL, the UK body that licenses recorded music in the UK on behalf of record labels and
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