EU Probing Payment of Online Music Royalties
European Union antitrust regulators said they were investigating the European organizations that collect royalties for musicians from Internet sites -- in parallel with other EU moves to open up the European market for online music.
The European Commission said it was concerned that the groups’ contracts with composers -- organized along national lines -- might violate rules on restrictive business practices and give national copyright agencies a de facto monopoly.
The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers and its member agencies in EU countries collect royalty payments from broadcasters, nightclubs and Internet sites.
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