3rd Party Quotes

4th April 2006

For local language versions of these quotes please contact
Laura Childs on +44 (0) 29 7878 7935 or email laura.childs@ifpi.org

PORTUGAL

Vasco Graça Moura, MEP (EPP, Cultural Committee)

"If Europe is to have a thriving digital music business, then that business and the community of artists and producers who create it have to be able to protect themselves against illegal file-sharing.

"There are now almost 200 legal music sites in Europe, some offering over a million tracks. Buying music online from these from one of these sites is the only way for fans to ensure that the whole chain of people involved in making music get paid for their work.

"On the other hand, if people engage in illegal file-sharing, the artists they love don't get paid and there is less money to invest in discovering and developing new talent."

Ana Maria Gomes MEP (Socialist, Foreign Affairs Committee)

"Illegal file-sharing is undermining the livelihoods of thousands of people working in the music sector in Portugal. I understand that the recording industry has been forced to act against major uploaders of copyrighted music who continue to break the law despite all the public information campaigns and warnings."

SWEDEN

Hans Lindström, President, SAMI, the Swedish Artists' and Musicians' Interest Organisation

"For our members, the income from the legal sale and distribution of their recorded performances is essential to their professional work as musicians and artists."

Åsa Törneryd Managing Director EMI MUSIC Sweden

"The internet provides fantastic opportunities for artists, consumers of music, distributors and ourselves as record companies. EMI welcomes the digital revolution, and wholeheartedly supports IFPI's actions against illegal file-sharing, which is underpinning the legal basis for creative, artistic production and access to music."

Carl Lindencrona, President, the Swedish Music Publishers' Association

"Those who create and issue music must be paid for their work. This is vital to their ability to continue to create new music, which gives pleasure to all of us. That's what the Copyright Act is all about.

"It is essential that everyone who uses music understands and respects the copyright rules, so that the intentions behind the Copyright Act will be achieved in practice.

"Both carrot and stick are needed to achieve this, in my view.

"Taking legal action against anyone who breaches copyright in a serious way is one measure. Offering a large number of easily-accessible channels for consumers to buy their music is another. Information and education are another vital element, and these must continue to be used. The speed of technical development means that there are always new ways for consumers to buy music quickly and easily."

Jan Granvik, Chairman, The Swedish Musicians' Association

"As a songwriter, I own my music, and, obviously, I have the rights to everything I compose.

"Unfortunately, there are people who don't respect or understand the difference between yours and mine.

"Just like anyone else who doesn't respect private property, either material or intellectual, they should be penalised!"

Mats Hammerman, Chairman of SOM, the Swedish Independent Music Producers' Association

"It is widely known that record shops, artists, songwriters and record companies are the people who lose from illegal file-sharing. What is seldom talked about is who actually makes money from it. File-sharing networks such as Kazaa make a fortune on advertising and on selling information to spammers. It is frightening the way these networks make so much money from supplying goods they don't own."

Jan Rosén, LL.D., Professor of Private Law Law Faculty Stockholm University

"Everyone wins if the Internet develops into a calm and well-ordered market place. Respect for a modernized copyright law is the basic condition for achieving this."

Maria Molin Ljunggren, Director, Lionheart International AB / MLP AB / M&L Records AB

"At last, the outside world is beginning to understand that there is a business called the music industry which has been driven to the verge of extinction in recent years as a result of thievery. Taking action is essential to instilling confidence in the future in our artists, and all those who are involved in making music."

Gun Magnusson, President COPYSWEDE

"Composers, musicians and artistes have the right to choose their own distributors. No one should be able to interfere without signing an agreement with them. Illegal uploading is theft, and it undermines the ability of artists to live off their art. It devastates the financial base they need to continue to create. In the long run, it is the public itself that loses out."

Joakim Wallström, A West Side Fabrication

"I wouldn't describe myself as a Luddite (although I am technically incompetent) or a reactionary. But that doesn't mean that I want to see people stealing our songs without permission. To anyone who says they are doing us a favour by distributing our songs in all directions via file-sharing networks, I would say, please get in touch with us first and hear our views on the subject. There has never been as much music available all over the world as there is now, but now has it been so difficult to get paid for work."

Mikael Olander, CDON

"It is essential that there are good legal alternatives available when the file-sharing law comes into force. CDON.COM provides this with a catalogue of over 500,000 songs, and a fast, simple and secure service. Not only that, but a downloadable song usually costs only about a third of the corresponding CD single!"

Stefan Jacobson, PetSounds

"Music arises from happiness and sorrow for future enjoyment, add it to your basket"

ARGENTINA

Senator Mrs. Mastandrea

"Our authors and creators should be able to develop within a framework of creative freedom. The illegal circulation of their works through the internet damages such liberty since it deprives them of earning a living from music. It's absolutely necessary to understand that piracy destroys culture."

Leon Gieco, rock folk artist

"File-sharing music files without the creators' authorisation is illegal and a big problem which, if it continues, will very quickly destroy our ability to make and enjoy music. We have to be aware of the damage that piracy inflicts on the entire creative process as well as to the revenue of many families of all those involved in making music - not just the artists. On the other hand if we start using legitimate services, people will be able to enjoy music in new ways and this will provide an incentive to new artists and composers."

Gustavo Santaolalla, musician & producer. Latin Grammy 2005 award

"I think piracy affects the entire music industry; all the employees that work at the labels and the recording studios as well as the artist himself. We have to become aware in this country that piracy is theft. New digital technologies should become a new tool for the marketing of music and not a tool to promote illegal downloading. Piracy has a huge negative impact on the music industry and harms musicians and the arts. Let's care about music, it's the most valuable thing we have."

Charly Alberti, rock musician, former member of Soda Stereo

"File-sharing copyrighted music is not only an illegal activity but also prevents musicians from earning a living from music. It prejudices the whole music industry as well as all the families that are supported by it. People have to understand that music is not for free. Behind each song there is a lot of work, time and money invested by musicians and producers. If people pay for food and services, why do they expect not to pay for music?"

Axel, songwriter

"The internet and new technologies represent a great future for artists and music lovers. But it is essential to be aware of the fact that illegally file-sharing music can destroy our industry. This is why I think the launching of legitimate services in Argentina is great news."

Airbag, pop band

"We are young and love music. We love making it as well as listening to it, and we are really hopeful of being able to go on creating music in the future. That's why we ask you to buy legal music."

Alejandro Varela, chairman of EMI Music

"Downloading music files from unauthorized peer-to-peer systems is an illegal activity for a simple reason: the uploaders (who upload music files and act as 'music distributors') don't have the intellectual rights of the music they are distributing. Not only is this piracy illegal but it also it damages the entire creative process."

Juan Carlos Alessina, MPA´s local agency

"The entertainment industries such as film and music can't invest in artistic developments if all the authors and performers' creations are stolen from internet. Today's legal actions carried out by music industry will help the legitimate market develop."

SINGAPORE

Mike Ellis, Senior Vice President and Regional Director, Asia Pacific, MPAA

"The MPA fully supports the actions taken by RIAS. Government and industry education campaigns over the past several years have communicated clearly and widely that in Singapore, the theft of music and movies via the Internet is illegal. Copyright theft is theft, pure and simple, and a clear violation of Singapore's laws."

Mr Sudhanshu Sarronwala, Soundbuzz CEO

"Companies like Soundbuzz have invested heavily in creating safe, telecommunications-grade online environments which offer music purchasers ease-of-use, choice, security and 100% transparency, whilst also protecting the rights of artists to make money from their creative efforts and performances. For legitimate businesses like Soundbuzz to succeed, it is critical that the Industry has a level of enforcement to raise awareness of the fact that illegal P2P activity is indeed a punishable crime. We applaud the efforts of RIAS and the music Industry, and remain committed to the inevitable reality of a robust, legal online music market."

FURTHER QUOTES

Osamu Sato, Chairman & CEO of RIAJ, Japan

"Illegal music file-sharing collapses the music creation cycle and has the potential to damage cultural output worldwide. We are convinced that the united efforts of the international music industry against individuals' illegal file-sharing on an environment without borders have had a deterrent effect and stimulated the improvement of legitimate digital music business. In Japan, 95% of internet users recognise the illegality of file-sharing music, and the mobile market, especially ringtunes, is showing rapid growth alongside the legitimate online music services."

Paul Solleveld, Managing Director of NVPI, The Netherlands: "People have to understand the work, passion and tenacity required to make and sell music and other entertainment products. They need to realise that many dedicated artists but also sound engineers, talent scouts, technicians, musicians and so many more individuals involved in the making and distribution of one song, actually try to make a living out of it. By stealing and distributing tracks on the Internet, both the industry and the music suffer greatly. That is why legal action is necessary."

Dick Doyle, Director General of IRMA, Ireland:

"This is an action against serial file sharers. The top six offenders have more than 2,000 illegal files (on average). This is equivalent to 200 albums, which is wholesale mass distribution and daylight robbery. When you consider that each of these pirates could be connected to 200,000 to 300,000 others at any one time, you begin to appreciate the scale of this theft.

"We have been issuing warnings for 15 months now. It is time to take action, we are not accepting it any longer."

Arto Alaspää, Managing Director of IFPI Finland:

"The Finnish recording industry suffered a 12.5 % fall in the value last year. Broadband penetration in Finland has more than doubled in a year and half, nearly a million Finnish households have it now. We can no longer tolerate the massive illegal file-sharing going on. Our most valuable asset, local and traditionally strong repertoire, is under heavy attack by massive uploaders. This is about Finnish jobs and livelihoods. From now on we will enforce our rights on the Internet just as in the physical world. People know they are breaking the law, now they must be ready to face the consequences. Stopping illegal file sharing is key to supporting the birth and existence of new, viable and legal digital music services. They deserve a fair chance for their efforts to bring true music lovers, our real customers, what they really want -good music for a reasonable price."

Franz Medwenitsch, Managing Director of IFPI Austria: "Taking legal action against illegal file-sharing in Austria, once we had conducted an intense information and education campaign, has definitely been the right thing to do. It is copyright theft and it is decimating jobs, artists´ careers and livelihoods. The annual damage in Austria caused by online piracy is exceeding Euro 15 Million. The Austrian online music market is developing at a good pace, but it is still hampered by the illegal distribution of music on the internet. We simply cannot sit back and watch it happen - we fully understand and support other European countries who take action."

Peter Jamieson, Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), UK:

"Unauthorised filesharing is against the law. It effectively steals the livelihood of musicians and the record companies who invest in them. We will not hesitate to protect the rights of our members and the artists they represent."

Hervé Rony, Director General of SNEP, the French Recording Industry Association:

"The French recording industry believes that the successful promotion and development of a legitimate online music market can only occur in a favourable economic climate. For this, we must tirelessly battle against illegal file-sharing on the internet. No legitimate online business can exist when confronted with a mass pirate market of "free" music.

SNEP would also like to applaud the mobilisation of public authorities in the last few months, which has resulted in the signature of a Charter of Cooperation with French ISPs. We are now optimistic that this new structure is well-adapted to the development of legal music online."

"Le SNEP a déclaré que la promotion et le développement des offres légales en ligne ne peut avoir lieu que dans un contexte économique favorable, ce qui suppose de lutter sans relache contre les échanges illégaux de musique sur internet. Aucun marché ne peut exister dans un contexte de piraterie de masse. Le SNEP s'est aussi félicité de la mobilisation des pouvoirs publics depuis ces derniers mois, concrétisée par la signature d'une charte de coopération avec les ISP's et s'est dit optimiste sur la mise en place avec ces derniers d'un cadre adapté à la musique légale."

Michael Ritto, Chairman of IFPI Denmark: "The Danish music industry continues to suffer from the activities of internet pirates, but the results of our legal actions against illegal file-sharing which were carried out throughout 2004 are very positive. Not only have our efforts raised awareness of the illegality of sharing copyright-protected music, but the volume of illegally traded files has gone down on the networks we have targeted. In order to pave the way for legal services and support the retailers who are the first to bear the brunt of this attack, we have to continue the fight while at the same time supporting the creation of easy-to-use, legal online music services. The emergence of this legitimate market allows true music lovers to download better quality music at reasonable prices. There is no excuse for stealing music."

Peter Zombik, CEO of IFPI Germany:

"Legal actions in Germany against illegal file-sharing on the Internet have proven to be one effective tool to defend the rights of artists and producers. Combined with attractive services allowing people to download music legally, these actions can put a stop to the unauthorised distribution of music on the web. Users are more and more aware of the advantages legal download services offer them and of the legal and technical dangers involved in illegal file-sharing."

Enzo Mazza, General Director of FIMI, the Italian Recording Industry Association:

"Music piracy is an enormous and ongoing problem in Italy, threatening the jobs and livelihoods of thousands of Italians in the music industry.

As Italians take up broadband, they also take up unauthorised P2P file sharing in increasing amounts - 4 million Italians use P2P services and most of them share illegal files over the net. We cannot allow this to continue at this pace. Meanwhile legitimate online services are also growing day by day in Italy. This is a critical time in history for the emerging legitimate services and we absolutely need to stop the illegal alternative in order to give them the space to grow."

Cary Sherman, President of the Recording Industry Association of America:

"A global problem requires a global response," said Cary Sherman, President, Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). "And that is why the actions taken by our international colleagues are so welcome. Every week, it seems, there is an announcement of the launch of yet another legitimate online music service. By enforcing the rights of creators around the world, our colleagues are sending a message that there is no longer any excuse for uploading music illegally instead of buying it. With all the spyware, adware, viruses, loss of privacy, unwanted pornography and the risk of getting caught for copyright infringement, people's behavior and attitudes toward illegal file-sharing are already changing. Today's announcement will only help further deliver that message."