European Union members agreed to extend copyright protection for music performances of recorded music from fifty  to seventy years on Monday, 12 September.

The EU said that the new directive intends to increase the level of protection of performers by acknowledging their creative and artistic contributions.

The IFPI international group representing the recording industry welcomed the measure stating that its great news for performing artists as established artists can benefit from their work throughout their lifetimes."

The statement also said that the directive also foresees measures in order to ensure that artists who have transferred their exclusive rights to phonogram producers actually benefit from the term extension and may recuperate their rights subject to certain conditions.

The term of protection will expire 70 years after the death of last person, whether that is a composer or the author of lyrics. The rules are expected to be implemented by member states within 2014.