News from ECSA: December 2023

On 8 December, after intense trilogue negotiations, policymakers from the three EU institutions struck a provisional agreement on the EU AI Act. The draft regulation requires providers of general-purpose AI models to comply with EU copyright legislation and minimum transparency obligations, and mandates the creation of an AI Office to monitor and enforce the common rules in all EU Member States. As Complete Music Update reports, the deal has been cautiously welcomed by music industry stakeholders, who stressed the need to ensure that the final legislation adequately reflects the transparency and copyright principles set out in the agreement. The final version of the text is now being fine-tuned at technical level, with discussions expected to continue in January 2024.

This week, the European Audiovisual Observatory issued a publication which zooms in on the transformation of the audiovisual sector over the last decade and its implications on the livelihoods of authors and performers. It also focuses on the implementation of Chapter 3 of the Copyright in the Digital Single Market (CDSM) Directive. The study argues that fair remuneration for authors and performers is essential for a well-functioning copyright marketplace, and underlines the obligation for EU Member States to ensure appropriate and proportionate remuneration for creators, as set out in the CDSM Directive. It also mentions the challenge of imbalances of bargaining power in contractual negotiations, emphasising the impact of buy-out contracts on potential future royalties and residual rights, while also referring to ECSA’s position paper on buy-outs.

On 11 December, the European Parliament (EP)’s Legal Affairs Committee (JURI) endorsed an own-initiative report on the legal and policy implications of virtual worlds. ECSA welcomes the report, which calls for the full application of EU copyright rules to virtual worlds, the appropriate and proportionate remuneration of authors and adequate reporting of use of copyrighted works. The EP is scheduled to vote on the final report during the next plenary session in January 2024.

On 2 December, songwriter and ECSA Board Member Aafke Romeijn (BAM! Popauteurs) was interviewed on Dutch national radio station NPO Radio 1 to talk about music streaming. The conversation centered around Spotify’s yearly “Wrapped” campaign, and Aafke elaborated on Spotify’s current remuneration model, how this could be improved, and Spotify’s recently announced changes in its remuneration model. Listen to the full interview (in Dutch) below.

The International Music Council (IMC), with New Internet Media (NIM) and Swedish ECSA member SKAP as partners, has announced its Fair Music Project, funded by Creative Europe and supported by international music organisations and music tech companies. The project, focused on music creators’ rights, particularly compensation and recognition, aims to offer a concrete and improved compensation model compared to the systems that currently dominate the market. The project also includes capacity building for music creators and industry actors, and advocacy work around the importance of fair practicing music services in both the public and political spheres. ECSA is proud to be one of the project’s associate partners.

On 5 December, ECSA member organisation Deutscher Komponist:innen Verband (DKV) co-signed a joint statement initiated by ProMusik, condemning Spotify’s new remuneration model. Under the new system, which will apply from 1 January 2024, tracks with less than 1000 streams per year will not receive any royalty payments. While this arbitrary threshold will negatively impact smaller artists, the demonetised tracks will continue to enrich Spotify’s music catalogue. Signatories call on Spotify to stop the planned changes and engage in a dialogue with music creators. Read the statement below (in German) on DKV’s website.

This month, the nominees for the Nordic Film Composers Award 2024 were announced. The ceremony will take place on 17 February 2024, during the Nordic Film Music Days in Berlin. The unveiled nominees include Jonas Struck ("Apolonia, Apolonia" - Denmark), Pessi Levanto ("Superposition" - Finland), Edvard Egilsson ("Smoke Sauna Sisterhood" - Iceland), Ola Fløttum ("Let The River Flow" - Norway), and Irya Gmeyner & Martin Hederos ("Thin Blue Line" - Sweden). The final program of the Nordic Film Music Days will be made available in January.

Last month, French ECSA member SNAC (Syndicat national des auteurs et des compositeurs) published its last trimestrial bulletin. The bulletin includes an interview with Honorary President of SNAC Pierre-André Athané, in which he zooms in on AI, copyright, and the EU AI Act, while referring to ECSA’s recent statements on those issues. Moreover, SNAC’s new General-Delegate, Maïa Bensimon, is interviewed about the prospects of her new role and SNAC’s priorities in the near future. Read the full bulletin (in French), which features several other interviews with various creators, authors, and other SNAC members, below.

On 4 and 5 April 2024,  the International Market for Film Music Composition will be held in the frame of Festival International Music & Cinema Marseille, with the support of SACEM and CNC. This market brings together producers, directors and composers around international projects (short films, features and TV series), all looking for a composer to create the original score of their film. It offers the best conditions for directors, producers and composers to get in touch with each other and associate original music to a cinematographic project. Composers can apply now, until 15 January 2024. Find more information on how to apply below.

The European Music Council (EMC) has opened applications for the EMC Fellowship Programme. The programme offers emerging professionals working in the field of music an opportunity to internationalise their careers and to develop professionally. During one year, up to ten young persons are invited to take part in the European Forum on Music (EFM), get exclusive access to further EMC events, and are included in the EMC’s internal (membership) communication. Find more information and application requirements via the link below.