The major labels and BMG have asked the US Supreme Court to overturn a Fifth Circuit decision they say threatens to upend copyright law internationally. The appeals court ruled in January that when a songwriter exercises termination rights under US copyright law, it reclaims their rights worldwide, not just domestically.
That ruling came in a case brought by songwriter Cyril Vetter. In their filing, the majors and BMG argue the decision conflicts with established international copyright principles, under which each country’s rights are governed by its own laws, and warn that letting it stand could create significant uncertainty across the global music publishing business.
Read the full story at Music Business Worldwide.