UK music copyright company challenges EC antitrust ruling
- United Kingdom
- 09/29/2008
British music royalty collection society MCPS-PRS Alliance on Friday challenged a European Commission (EC) antitrust decision limiting the control such organizations have over copyright use agreements. In July, the EC ruled the current exclusivity deals the single-country societies had were effectively domestic monopolies in violation of Article 81 of the European Commission Treaty and Article 53 of the European Economic Area Agreement. The EC made the ruling after a challenge to the deals brought by radio broadcasting company RTL Group, in which it sought the ability to make multinational use agreements with a single rights holder.
In January, the EC dropped an antitrust case against Apple’s iTunes after Apple announced it would equalize music download prices across Europe. A UK consumer protection organization had filed a formal complaint with the Commission, which launched an investigation in April 2007 into whether sales restrictions based on the buyer’s country of residence violated EU antitrust laws. Apple blamed the disparity on copyright holders charging more at the wholesale level in the UK than other countries.
