Music Industry

US Music Industry Called Spain and Canada “Piracy Havens”

Along with other members of the International Intellectual Property Alliance, the Recording Industry Association of America has submitted their so-called “piracy watchlist” recommendations to the Office of the US Trade Representative. In the list, two countries, Canada and Spain, are mentioned as piracy havens demanding urgent attention from the American Government. This is even though one of them has just adopted an anti-piracy legislation inspired by the United States.

Just a few days ago Spanish Congress adopted a far-reaching anti-piracy law, so-called “Sinde Act”, aimed at closing down file-sharing websites. This was made despite vocal opposition from Internet subscribers and movie industry members. The legislation is expected to be enforced this summer. Of course, the United States, which diplomats helped to draft the law in question, were delighted at the news. But the RIAA seems to believe that it’s not enough for combating copyright infringement. In the Priority Watch List, Spain is joined by other defiant countries such as China, Russia, and, surprisingly, Canada, labelled as a huge threat to the American entertainment industry.

The list submitted by the RIAA will be considered by the US Trade Representative within the process of drafting its Special 301 Report published each year. The report in question is needed for identification of the countries denying proper copyright laws, which hurts the profits of American industries. As for the last year, Canada was also included on the priority watch list, but Spain was located a category lower, included on the regular watch list.

The RIAA doesn’t seem to notice that Spain has adopted a copyright law inspired by the US government, and still puts the country on the priority watch list. The organization insists that the fact of Spanish courts claiming that file-sharing is legal should be addressed in particular. In addition, the RIAA pointed at the Spain’s lack of ability to identify and report copyright infringers.

Apart from Spain, there’s another candidate for the priority watch list – Canada, which is suspected of showing slow progress on revising its copyright legislation. Overall, the RIAA and International Intellectual Property Alliance urge the American government to include 13 countries on the priority watch list in 2011.