IFPI, Spanish Government Discuss Pirate-Product Street Sales

Senior executive committee members of the IFPI called for an immediate crack-down on street sales of pirated music in Spain at a meeting last week in Madrid with under-secretary of state for justice José
María Michavila. The meeting took place during a two-day IFPI visit to Madrid--coinciding with the Spanish presidency of the European Union--to step up what Sony Music Europe president Paul Burger called "the war on this cancerous criminal disease."

"There is clearly an absolute explosion of piracy in Spain," Burger said at the meeting. "In 18 months, piracy has doubled from 15% to 30%, reaching 50% in the case of new or hit records. Our mission is to call on the [Spanish] government to continue to fight for legislation to stop organized crime from stealing the lifeblood from our industry."

Carlos Grande, president of Spanish labels' body AFYVE, suggested that police be given the power to seize and destroy pirated CDs sold on the street, without prior court intervention and a complaint from a record label, which are currently needed. Grande revealed that Spain's justice ministry is organizing a seminar on intellectual property for May 23-24 in Madrid and is inviting international label presidents to discuss piracy.