Spotify, SoundCloud and Deezer has founded a new European lobbying organization, Digital Music Europe (DME), its aim being to “advocate for policies that shape a favourable business environment for digital music”. Market intelligence platform Soundcharts, 7digital and France’s Qobuz are amongst some of the other backers.
DME will prove “resourceful for policy-makers, media and the digital music industry, and will also push for creating the best possible business environment for digital music through new policies”.
“For a decade, European digital music companies have led the transformation of the music industry globally. Bringing these companies together to create DME is a great opportunity to highlight European leadership in this sector, inspire other European entrepreneurs and create a unique voice with policy-makers”, as quoted by President of Digital Music Europe and CEO of Deezer Hans-Holger Albrecht.
“DME is eager to share the experience and vision of its members to contribute to policy debates shaping Europe’s Digital Single Market. We believe that policy-makers have a key role to play to support the growth of the entire music sector and enable more innovation in Europe”, as reported by Chair of DME and Director of EU Regulatory Affairs at Spotify Olivia Regnier.
EU policy debates are being monitored by DME regarding issues related to copyright, data transfers, online platforms, geo-blocking, e-privacy, and digital contracts and taxation, stating that it “will work with European policy-makers and others that are passionate about music to create a legislative and regulatory framework that supports the growth of digital music, and brings benefits to both artists and consumers”.