IFPI welcomes Mandelson's "zero tolerance" approach on piracy

December 2, 2005

The recording industry welcomes the statement of the EU Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson, who declared that the EU will work together with the US in a "zero tolerance" approach to piracy and counterfeiting. Commissioner Mandelson was speaking after the first informal EU-US economic ministerial meeting in Brussels on 30 November, 2005.

The industry has long made it clear that the most effective way to tackle piracy is for the EU and US to work together. John Kennedy, Chairman & CEO, IFPI, said: "This zero tolerance approach to piracy is literally music to our ears. European artist and record companies have been suffering enormously from theft of intellectual property. We shall work closely with the European Commission to deliver real results.

"We would strongly advise that the EU-US partnership put China and Russia at the top of the list for action. China is the world's largest pirate market, with a music piracy level of 85%, while Russia has developed into the world's leading exporter of pirated discs."

Mitch Bainwol, President and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), added: "We are very grateful to Secretary Guttierez and the entire US Administration for continuing to make the protection of intellectual property a cornerstone of US foreign economic policy, and are very hopeful that this new partnership will produce even greater impetus for reform in countries around the world."

For further information contact: Francine Cunningham, IFPI European Office,
Tel: + 32 2 511 92 08
Email: Francine.cunningham@ifpi.org