YouTube and GEMA end 7-year stand-off, lift block on music videos

“Today is a big day for music in Germany,” wrote YouTube on its blog overnight.

The Google-owned video streaming giant has reached a landmark licensing agreement with the Germany-based music rights organisation GEMA.

The deal ends a seven-year stand-off between the pair and means YouTube users in Germany can now stream music content that contains GEMA repertoire, effective immediately. More than that though, over 70,000 composers and publishers represented by GEMA will now earn royalties for the use of their copyrighted contenton the platform.

While the terms of the deal have not been announced, Christophe Muller, YouTube’s Head of International Music Partnerships, said:

“This agreement reflects a long-held commitment that composers, songwriters, and publishers should be paid fairly.”

He went on to say: “We are extremely pleased to have reached an agreement with GEMA to help their members earn revenue and to enable new musical talents to emerge.

“YouTube has evolved into an important source of promotion and revenue for musicians and we are pleased that GEMA members will benefit from their creative work on YouTube.”

YouTube stopped showing music containing GEMA repertoire in Germany in April 2009 when its 17-month contract with GEMA was up in March that year. German users of the platform were then served a blocking message on all copyrighted music content from GEMA artists.

The new deal covers all GEMA repertoire, both in Germany and internationally.

ThomasTheune, Director of Broadcast andOnlineat GEMA said: “The conclusion of this contract with YouTube is a clear signal to all online platforms that successfully build their business models on the musical works of creatives. Authors must be fairly remunerated for the exploitation of their musical works. GEMA will continue to actively pursue this goal.”

Interestingly, GEMA’s announcement of the deal notes: “There are still different legal positions held by YouTube and GEMA on the issue of whether YouTube or the uploaders are responsible for the licensing of the used musical works.”

Dr Harald Heker, GEMA CEO, added: “We remained true to our position that authors should also get a fair remuneration in the digital age, despite the resistance we met. It is crucial that the licensing agreement that we have now signed covers both the future and the past.”