IT IS only rock ’n’ roll, but apparently Charlie McCreevy likes it.
The EU internal market commissioner is the somewhat unlikely champion of an EU proposal to nearly double the copyright protection afforded to musicians from 50 to 95 years.
Noting that all but the most famous performers have always been in a weak bargaining position with their record labels, he said the proposed new measure would also hand rights back to the performers if a record company failed to release a recording within a certain amount of time. This should make more music available to consumers, he said.
Speaking in Dublin yesterday, Mr McCreevy said he hoped to present the proposals to the European Parliament this summer.
