Statement by Jay Berman on today's Napster decision

February12, 2001

Jay Berman, Chairman and CEO of IFPI, said:

"This decision is a victory for all those who want to develop a legitimate on-line music business. The court has confirmed that technology has to respect copyright law--regardless of the technology. This is good news for artists and record companies who have been dogged for months by legal uncertainty. And as new services are made available it will be good news for consumers, who will be able to enjoy the music they love in a greater variety of legitimate ways - because the people who created it will be paid for it.

"This ruling sends out the right signal to places elsewhere in the world that are grappling with the great challenges of adapting copyright law to the exciting environment of the internet. There is a crucial vote by the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday. We trust the Parliament will take note of today's recognition that if electronic commerce is going to thrive in the 21st century, protecting the creative industries has to be an integral part of the process. "

IFPI is the organisation representing the international recording industry. Its members comprise more than 1400 record producers and distributors in over 70 countries.

For further information contact:
Adrian Strain, IFPI, tel: +44 20 7878 7900/7939