Mumbai: Warner/Chappell Music, the publishing arm of Warner Music Group, announced that the General Society of Authors and Publishers (SGAE) has joined its Pan-European Digital Licensing (PEDL) initiative. Pan-European digital licenses in Warner/Chappell’s Anglo-American repertoire will now be available from the Spanish collection society.

The PEDL initiative grants non-exclusive rights in Warner/Chappell Music’s catalogue to those collection societies that are willing to adhere to a set of common standards designed to deliver efficient, transparent management of copyrights along with appropriate and accurate compensation for authors.

The first members to sign up to the PEDL initiative were the MCPS-PRS Alliance, GEMA and STIM in January, with SACEM joining in June.  The PEDL initiative continues to remain open for other societies to join.

The PEDL initiative’s objectives are consistent with the European Commission’s October 2005 recommendation and the announcement earlier this year from DG Competition regarding the cross-border management of copyrights.

Warner/Chappell Music senior vice president, international legal and business affairs Jane Dyball said, "We are delighted to be welcoming SGAE to the PEDL initiative. Today’s announcement is a further step towards simplifying and improving the pan-European digital licensing process for WCM’s catalogue, whilst maintaining royalty rates and developing emerging revenue streams for songwriters.  We are pleased with the momentum that the initiative continues to build and believe it will be further accelerated by the EC’s announcement on the administration of music rights."

SGAE CEO Eduardo Bautista said, "Through this agreement between SGAE and Warner/Chapell Music, SGAE reinforces its position as a Pan European operator, and at the same time allows us to provide an optimum service to rights owners."