News from ECSA: July 2023
Advocacy
How to fix streaming: ECSA publishes its vision on music streaming
On 12 July, we published our vision on music streaming in the report “Music streaming and its impact on music authors”. In the report, we propose 6 major recommendations on how to make streaming sustainable for music authors. These include ensuring a fairer distribution of the streaming pie to the benefit of music creators; identifying the legal nature of a stream; improving the identification of composers and songwriters on streaming services; reinstating the value of songs and compositions; growing the streaming pie; reassessing and reforming the current revenue allocation per stream; fostering transparency of algorithms and playlists; and ensuring the prominence and discoverability of European works.
MEP Ibán García Del Blanco’s draft report on music streaming
On 28 June, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Ibán García Del Blanco (Spain, S&D) published a draft report with recommendations to the European Commission on “Cultural diversity and the conditions for authors in the European music streaming market”. The draft report was discussed in the European Parliament’s CULT committee on 18 July and is now open for amendments, after which the committee will vote on the report in October. We support the report’s ambition to “create a fair and sustainable ecosystem for music streaming in the EU” that promotes cultural diversity and corrects imbalances in the current revenue allocation in the streaming market. Moreover, we’re glad to see that the report calls for improvement of author’s identification on streaming services, more transparency of algorithms, ethical use of AI, and the establishment of a European music observatory. We hope that all MEP’s will support these objectives and we warmly thank Ibán García Del Blanco for a promising draft report.
Complete Music Update reports on ECSA’s vision on streaming and MEP Ibán García Del Blanco’s draft report
On 13 July, music business outlet Complete Music Update (CMU) reported both on ECSA's abovementioned report on music streaming and on MEP Ibán García Del Blanco’s draft report on music streaming. “We urge all MEPs to support this important initiative and we look forward to working collectively towards a sustainable future for the music industry”, ECSA President Helienne Lindvall states about the latter in the article. Read the full article, written by Chris Cooke, below.
Songwriter organisations urge US Congress to intervene on 'black box' royalties of Mechanical Licensing Collective
In a letter to the US House of Representatives, various organisations representing music creators and songwriters, including ECSA, urge the US Congress to address concerns regarding the Mechanical Licensing Collective's (MLC) unclaimed and unmatched royalties. If unmatched, these royalties would be distributed to rights holders according to market share with publishers receiving royalties for works that they do not own. The signatories stress that instead, the rightful owners should be correctly identified and paid. Read the full letter on the Music Creators North America (MCNA) website or read more about the letter in Digital Music News.
Global creators and performers demand creative rights in AI proliferation
On 20 July, ECSA co-signed an open letter to policy makers on AI with various organisations, together representing over 6 million artists, creators, performers and publishers globally. In the letter, we call upon governments and decision makers to commit to developing and adopting legislation that is consistent with seven key principles. These principles include: 1) the protection of creators’ and performers’ rights when exploited by AI systems; 2) enabling and supporting licensing; 3) avoiding exceptions for text and data mining which do not provide for effective opt-out by rightsholders; 4) crediting in a just manner; 5) establishing transparency obligations; 6) legal responsibility for AI operators; and 7) the distinction between AI and human-created works. Read the full open letter and the list of all signatories below.
Cultural activities
Opportunity for film composers: Oticons mentoring courses
After previous successful editions, we're partnering up with Oticons Film Music Composers Agency again to organise the “Film Music Business Career Mentoring for European Film Composers”; a 2-day online mentoring course performed by George Christopoulos (founder & CEO of Oticons) for one or max. two lucky winners. The course offers career advice and industry insights, to help the winner(s) carve a realistic, efficient and successful career path. Interested? Submissions are open until 15 August.
Call for ECCO-System grants is still open until 11 September!
Our call for proposals for the 2024 ECCO-System grants is still open until 11 September 2023. The call is dedicated to ECSA Members only. The grants (financial support to third parties) are funded through the support of the Creative Europe programme for European Networks of Cultural and Creative Organisations. ECSA members are invited to apply for this funding opportunity to organise an ECCO concert in collaboration with an ensemble. More information van be found via the button below.
Members' news
ECSA welcomes French Union of Contemporary Composers (SMC) as new member
We’re delighted to announce that Syndicat français des Compositrices et Compositeurs de Musique Contemporaine (SMC) is joining ECSA as a member organisation. SMC operates in the field of contemporary music and will join ECSA as an associated member in the ECF committee. We are thrilled to welcome SMC and look forward to many fruitful collaborations!
Call for scores for the 33rd International Review of Composers 2024
The call for scores for the 33rd International Review of Composers 2024, an annual festival for contemporary art music organised by the Composers’ Association of Serbia, is now open. The application is free of charge. The same composer can submit pieces in various categories. The deadline for applications is 31 October, 2023 - more info can be found on the Composers’ Association of Serbia’s website.
What else?
Spread the word: internship vacancy at ECSA!
Are you looking for an internship and interested in how the music industry works? ECSA is looking for a Communications Intern, for a 5-month period, starting in October 2023. Join our team in Brussels and help us defend the rights of composers and songwriters all over Europe. Applications are open until 11 August.
FAIRMUSE launches new website
The European music sector can become fairer, more competitive, and more sustainable. The Horizon Europe-funded research project FAIRMUSE provides a response to the increased dominance of the biggest online music platforms and their algorithms. The project emphasises fairness in the future of the music industry, while preserving and promoting cultural diversity. The research is supported by an Advisory Board of specialist representatives from the music industry, including ECSA.
Open call: FAMES seminar
FAME'S European Orchestral Performing Institute announced that the Call for their “Seminar #4, Part II”, taking place from 9 to 22 September 2023, is now open. FAMES invites young classical orchestra musicians to use this opportunity for a unique concept of musical practice. The seminar provides professional training, mentoring, and performance opportunities in a range of genres. FAMES will select 25 musicians. Applicants must be between 16 and 30 years old.
Finnish Uuno Klami Composition Competition opens
The V International Uuno Klami Composition Competition, to be held in 2023-2024 in Finland, opened. Compositions must be submitted at the latest on 4 December 2023. The competition will culminate in final concerts during which the results will be announced and the prizes will be awarded. The final concerts take place in the autumn of 2024 in Kouvola and Kotka, Finland.