Music Firms Want EU to Cut Off Pirates

The plan, backed by French President Sarkozy, asks cyberspace service providers to disconnect users who illegally download copyright music by Leigh PhillipsWith gross revenue of compact discs across Europe in free-fall, the record persistence has called on the EU to follow French president Nicolas Sarkozys lead and power internet service providers to disconnect customers who illegally download music.Up until promptly, ISPs present allowed copyright theft to run rampant on their networks, causing a massive devaluation of copyrighted music, said John Kennedy, the CEO of the International union of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), the record exertion trade association. The time for action is now &8212 from the EU and other governments.The IFPI believes the mood of indulging ISPs and their downloading customers is coming to an end.2007 was the year ISP right started to become an accepted principle, he said. 2008 must be the year it becomes reality. ending November, president Sark ozy backed an initiative in partnership with the record industry and internet providers that would see ISPs automatically disconnect customers who illegally download copyrighted material.More than anyone else in 2007, our industry has to thank French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the chairperson of FNAC the France-based chain of record and electronics superstores, Denis Olivennes, for the change of mood, said Mr Kennedy.The Sarkozy agreement, announced in November, is the close significant milestone yet in the task of curbing plagiarisation on the internet.The French presidents move requires ISPs to disconnect customers using an automated system of rules and to test filtering technologies.Mr Kennedy made comments in an IFPI report on the state of the sector. Although in that respect was a 40 share increase in digital sales globally in 2007, according to the report, there was a 10 percent decline in sales of compact discs last year.The report as well as praised government move s against illegal downloading in Sweden, Belgium, the UK, the US and Asia.Provided by EUobserverFor the latest EU related newsBusinessWeek Europe January 28, 2008 104PM EST