Today, the Belgian Federal Parliament adopted new rules implementing the 2019 Directive on copyright in the Digital Single Market. IMPALA, the European association of independent music companies, representing over 6,000 music SMEs across Europe, commented on the new rules.

Our monthly quick-fire webinar on the One Step Ahead project will take place on 20th June at 3pm CET. The quick-fire editions of IMPALA’s Digital Hour with CMU are all about speedy updates on recent and upcoming One Step Ahead reports. It’s also the opportunity for members to ask questions and share ideas that will inform and influence our future research.

IMPALA is releasing a report on the first diversity and inclusion survey of the independent sector, “Towards a more diverse and inclusion independent music sector” to close its programme for European Diversity Month.

IMPALA is launching a new award scheme, known as the Changemaker Award. Part of IMPALA’s diversity and inclusion work, the award aims to put the spotlight on projects that promote change in the independent sector and inspire others to take action. It is being launched in May as part of IMPALA’s schedule for European Diversity Month.

Our monthly quick-fire webinar on the One Step Ahead project will take place on 9th May at 3pm CET. The quick-fire editions of IMPALA’s Digital Hour with CMU are all about speedy updates on recent and upcoming One Step Ahead reports. It’s also the opportunity for members to ask questions and share ideas that will inform and influence our future research.

This morning, the Court of Justice of the EU dismissed the challenge brought by Poland against Article 17 of the 2019 EU Directive on copyright.
IMPALA welcomes the EU Court’s ruling, which finds Article 17 to be compatible with the EU Charter of fundamental rights.

Our next Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training is taking place on Wednesday, April 27th (10am – 1pm CET). This training session will focus on the topics of unconscious bias and white privilege, and being a better ally, delivered by our trainers Arit Eminue and Vick Bain.

IMPALA, the European independent music companies’ association and Julie’s Bicycle have launched the first bespoke carbon calculator for the independent music sector. A crucial sustainability tool for IMPALA members, the calculator will help them measure their impact and achieve their climate goals.

Our monthly quick-fire webinar on the One Step Ahead project will take place on 6th April at 3pm CET. The quick-fire editions of IMPALA’s Digital Hour with CMU are all about speedy updates on recent and upcoming One Step Ahead reports. It’s also the opportunity for members to ask questions and share ideas that will inform and influence our future research.

What’s a carbon footprint and what is the difference between ‘carbon neutral’ and ‘net zero’? What’s the point of carbon reporting, and how does it fit in with initiatives like the IMPALA Sustainability Charter and global Music Climate Pact? And where can labels start with climate action?

IMPALA is launching a new programme to boost diversity in the European independent music sector in partnership with YouTube. “100 Artists to Watch” will put the spotlight on key independent artists across Europe.

IMPALA opposes the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which has a devastating impact on the country, its inhabitants and its music and cultural sector. The European independent music community stands together with the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian music community. We also express our solidarity with those in Russia who oppose the war and the actions of Vladimir Putin.

International Women’s Day is a great opportunity to highlight initiatives and good practices which contribute to a fairer music industry. Promoting a diverse and inclusive European independent music sector is a key priority for IMPALA all year.

IMPALA has joined the letter below initiated by the European Theatre organisation entitled “International cultural collaboration with Ukraine must be supported by world leaders” which is a message of solidarity with the people of Ukraine as well as with the people of Russia who oppose the war, and a call for support and funding.

Our monthly quick-fire webinar on the One Step Ahead project will take place on 2nd March at 3pm CET. The quick-fire editions of IMPALA’s Digital Hour with CMU are all about speedy updates on recent and upcoming One Step Ahead reports. It’s also the opportunity for members to ask questions and share ideas that will inform and influence our future research.

On Friday 11 February, the CMA has provisionally cleared Sony’s acquisition of AWAL and Kobalt Neighbouring rights businesses from Kobalt Music Group Limited. Read IMPALA’s reaction here.

PMI, the Italian Association of Independent Music Producers, in collaboration with IMPALA and Rockol, has created the Sustainable Music Manifesto: a programme of 10 targets that music industry actors and artists can undertake to pursue by signing the Manifesto.

The Worldwide Independent Network (WIN) has appointed its board for 2022, with Maria Amato, CEO of the Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR) as chair. Jeffrey Chiang (Fluxus Inc/LIAK, South Korea), Paul Pacifico (AIM, UK), and Sandra Rodrigues (ABMI, Brazil) newly appointed to the board

Merlin, the independent’s digital music licensing partner, today announced a dynamic new agreement with Twitch, the interactive live streaming service for content spanning gaming, entertainment, sports, music, and more. This partnership recognizes the power of independent artists and their impact in the Twitch community and more.

Our monthly quick-fire webinar on the One Step Ahead project will take place on 1st February at 11am CET. The quick-fire editions of IMPALA’s Digital Hour with CMU are all about speedy updates on recent and upcoming One Step Ahead reports. It’s also the opportunity for members to ask questions and share ideas that will inform and influence our future research.

Members of the European Parliament adopted today their position on the proposal for a regulation on a Single Market for Digital Services (Digital Services Act), amending the eCommerce directive from 2000. We now look to co-legislators to show ambition and reach compromises that will finally deliver a safer online environment for consumers and businesses without creating any new liability exemptions for intermediaries.

The annual prize for popular and contemporary music co-funded by the European Union celebrates emerging artists who represent the European sound of today and tomorrow. Check out this year’s winners here!

With the upcoming plenary vote, the European Parliament can still turn the DSA into an opportunity for the EU to play a global role in making the internet a safer space for everyone. Ahead of this week’s (Thursday 20th Jan) plenary vote, organisations from a range of diverse sectors call on the European Parliament not to miss the opportunity to create a more trustworthy Internet.

BMYD (Independent Music Producers Association) was established with the coming together of Turkey’s seven leading independent record labels in Turkey: ARTVIZYON, BUGU YAPIM, EPIDEMIK YAPIM, GRGDN MUZIK, PAY RECORDS YAPIM, WE PLAY and ZOOM MUSIC.

Merlin, the independents’ digital music licensing partner, starts the new year announcing its newly-elected Board. The organization’s Board—elected from and by its members—includes representatives from twelve different countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Oceania.

IMPALA is kicking off 2022 with a two part One Step Ahead report on the impact of new technologies on the music industry! Part 1 is all about voice control, music recognition technology, creation tools and data tools. A webinar for members on the report will take place on 13/01 at 3pm CET.

A group of leading music companies have signed a wide-ranging commitment to ‘decarbonise’ the global music business in alignment with the latest climate science. IMPALA is a proud supporter and we invite our members to sign the pact.

The Worldwide Independent Network (WIN), the global coordination and support body for the independent music sector, is celebrating its 15th anniversary. This year’s second edition of WINCON, the annual meeting of independent music trade associations, will feature a special anniversary event to commemorate WIN’s achievements on December 13th.

Our monthly quick-fire webinar on the One Step Ahead project will take place on 7th December at 3pm CET. The quick-fire editions of IMPALA’s Digital Hour with CMU are all about speedy updates on recent and upcoming One Step Ahead reports. It’s also the opportunity for members to ask questions and share ideas that will inform and influence our future research.

As part of a coalition of cultural and creative organisations, IMPALA co-signed the following statement to express the sector’s concerns over the Council’s general approach on the Digital Services Act adopted earlier today.

The nominees of the Music Moves Europe Awards 2022 have been announced at the Linecheck Music Meeting & Festival opening event at BASE Milano in Italy on Monday November 22. The Music Moves Europe Awards are the European Union Prize for popular and contemporary music. The aim of the awards is to celebrate upcoming European artists and support them in developing their international careers.

IMPALA has released a mini survey on diversity and inclusion.

We call on all independents to set aside 10 minutes for 10 questions. If you do one thing on diversity and inclusion before the end of the year, make it this!

Our mini survey has been introduced to make it easier for businesses to respond.

This year, IMPALA’s Outstanding Contribution Award goes to Keith Harris OBE to recognise his remarkable career in music and his work advocating for equity and change throughout the sector.

The Chair of the European Parliament’s culture committee, Sabine Verheyen, and other parliamentarians have challenged the European Commission about its continued failure to address a court ruling from last year on European performance income.

Our monthly quick-fire webinar on the One Step Ahead project will take place on 4th November at 3pm CET. The quick-fire editions of IMPALA’s Digital Hour with CMU are all about speedy updates on recent and upcoming One Step Ahead reports. It’s also the opportunity for members to ask questions and share ideas that will inform and influence our future research.

IMPALA calls on the EU and national governments to ensure clear transitional pathways for all European countries, along with a support mechanism for sectors who are leading the way in this area.

As part of a coalition of cultural and creative organisations, IMPALA co-signed the following open letter “DSA – A missed opportunity and a step backwards” which was sent to the European Commission, European Parliament and national governments.
Read the letter here.

Exactly one year after the release of its Diversity and inclusion charter, IMPALA, the European independent music companies’ association has released its first annual report on diversity and inclusion.

IMPALA has launched a collaboration with Julie’s Bicycle to build the first bespoke carbon calculator for the independent sector. The calculator will help IMPALA’s members measure their carbon footprint and identify hotspots.

Today, the UK government published its response to the Parliament’s DCMS committee report on the Economics of streaming. Read IMPALA’s position on the government’s response.

IMPALA has elected a new board for a term of two years. The new Irish association of independent record labels AIM Ireland steps up and no less than 16 new representatives are already confirmed to join the governing body of the association.

The 4th One Step Ahead report “Understanding the digital music debates” is now available with a webinar for members taking place on 23 September at 2pm CET.

EU Commissioner Thierry Breton has acknowledged existing concerns about the impact of the RAAP EU court ruling on European performers and producers and confirmed the launch of a study to evaluate the consequences. This is part of an official answer to a question posed by several European parliamentarians, led by Spanish MEP Ibán García Del Blanco, in which Commissioner Breton confirms that the European Commission will soon launch a study to investigate the consequences of the ruling.

Today, the UK DCMS Committee released its report on the economics of streaming, with the headline conclusion that reform is needed. Some of the recommendations are in line with IMPALA’s assessment of today’s streaming economy. However, IMPALA does not share the view that “equitable remuneration” is part of the solution.

IMPALA and IAO propose an approach that involves creating a new cultural area with a single touring permit, instead of treating Europe as a number of distinct blocs and countries. The music market is geographic and covers all countries and economic/political groupings in the region including EU, EFTA, EU neighbourhood countries, as well as individual countries such as the UK.  

IMPALA joins 75 organisations in “Claiming a front row seat for music” to ensure music is at the heart of policy making as the sector slowly emerges from the Covid crisis. Read the letter and our specific asks.

Our monthly quick-fire webinar on the One Step Ahead project will take place on Wednesday 23rd June at 11am CET. The quick-fire editions of IMPALA’s Digital Hour with CMU are all about speedy updates on recent and upcoming One Step Ahead reports. It’s also the opportunity for members to ask questions and share ideas that will inform and influence our future research.

IMPALA, along with 107 other EU and US based cultural and creative organisations, have asked the EU and US to address visa issues during the EU-US Summit taking place in Brussels today. A letter was sent ahead of the summit seeking action to improve visa relations for artists and other cultural workers.

IMPALA joins 17 rightholder organisations in raising concerns with part of the european commission guidance on article 17 of the copyright directive and asking member states to stay faithful to the text of the directive.

Tomorrow is an important day for EU-US relations. It is also an important day for culture and music. The EU and the USA are global leaders and have two of the strongest music markets in the world. Underpinned by copyright, revenues from performance and broadcast are crucial.

Today is the deadline for EU member state to transpose the EU copyright directive into their national legislation. On Friday, the European Commission published its long-awaited guidance on the application of the directive’s Article 17. The EC has confirmed that the guidance is non-binding.

The third One Step Ahead report, “A DIVERSIFYING DIGITAL MARKET – CAPITALISING ON THE NEW OPPORTUNITIES” is now available, with a webinar on 10 June at 3pm CET for IMPALA members.

For the first anniversary of Blackout Tuesday, IMPALA has called on independent businesses to help build a picture of the sector’s diversity across Europe and map best practices for the future. IMPALA is asking as many businesses as possible to use the anniversary as an occasion to contribute to the debate by responding to IMPALA’s diversity and inclusion survey.

As part of IMPALA’s schedule for European Diversity Month, IMPALA is hosting a roundtable today to discuss mentoring in the music sector with MEWEM. The session takes place digitally with mentees from MEWEM France programme and Helen Smith from IMPALA, godmother of MEWEM France.

Our monthly quick-fire webinar on the One Step Ahead project will take place on Thursday 27th May at 3pm CET. The quick-fire editions of IMPALA’s Digital Hour with CMU are all about speedy updates on recent and upcoming One Step Ahead reports. It’s also the opportunity for members to ask questions and share ideas that will inform and influence our future research.

Never before has data on the independent sector been so important. With ten days to go till the deadline, IMPALA has issued a call to all independent music companies across Europe to fill out the WINTEL survey. The survey is open until June 4th and all independent companies with some activity in the recorded music business can participate.

Today, the European Parliament gave the final seal of approval to the EU’s culture programme Creative Europe for the period 2021-2027.
With a budget of €2.4bn in current prices, it will be the biggest yet and the programme will have a new focus on music, inclusion and promotion of female talent.

Sony’s acquisition of AWAL and Kobalt neighbouring rights from Kobalt music group, is being investigated in the UK, after the deal was announced in February. IMPALA has raised concerns that the move squeezes the independents further in an already very concentrated market.

To mark European Diversity Month, IMPALA is conducting the first European diversity and inclusion survey for the independent music sector. IMPALA’s diversity task force worked hand in hand with associations and advisers such as Keith Harris OBE, Vick Bain from vbain consulting and Arit Eminue from DiVA Apprenticeships.

Our monthly quick-fire webinar on the One Step Ahead project will take place on Monday 26th April at 3pm CET. The quick-fire editions of IMPALA’s Digital Hour with CMU are all about speedy updates on recent and upcoming One Step Ahead reports. It’s also the opportunity for members to ask questions and share ideas that will inform and influence our future research.

IMPALA will be releasing a special 20MinutesWith podcast on IMPALA’s sustainability programme, and guidance for members. These events coincide with Music Declares Emergency’s #turnupthevolume week highlighting the work on sustainability taking place across the music sector.

IMPALA announces an ambitious sustainability programme –
climate charter, task force, overall targets, tools and guidance. Voluntary for members, overall aim is net positive sector by 2030.

IMPALA, the European independent music companies’ association in Europe, has published a ten point plan to reform streaming. We see music services as partners, and our aim is to make streaming fairer and provide a dynamic, compelling and responsible future for creators and for fans.

Our monthly quick-fire webinar on the One Step Ahead project will take place on Thursday 25th March at 3pm CET. The quick-fire editions of IMPALA’s Digital Hour with CMU are all about speedy updates on recent and upcoming One Step Ahead reports. It’s also the opportunity for members to ask questions and share ideas that will inform and influence our future research.

Let’s secure a future for culture & cultural life in Europe. IMPALA is one of over 110 European networks urging Member States to make culture a priority in their recovery plans and to reactivate cultural life in Europe.

IMPALA, the European association of independent music companies, is launching its new IMPALA Campus project, an EU-funded training programme for recorded music professionals and self-releasing artists. Four workshops will take place in the spring and summer of 2021, each one in partnership with a leading music conference across Europe.

Promoting a diverse and inclusive European independent music sector is a key priority for IMPALA all year long. International Women’s day is a great opportunity to put the spotlight on the women contributing to IMPALA’s work with our board and various projects in the independent sector.

The second report of IMPALA’s One Step Ahead project is out, with a webinar on 18 February at 3pm CET for IMPALA members. The report “Marketing Power Through Data And Networks” is available only to IMPALA members and talks about the key role labels play and how that has evolved.

The 11th edition of IMPALA’s Album of the Year award goes to Austrian band My Ugly Clementine for “Vitamin C”, released on Austrian record label Ink Music. My Ugly Clementine fought off stiff competition from a shortlist of 25 albums across Europe.

This new study from EY, called Rebuilding Europe: the cultural and creative economy before and after COVID-19, captures the figures behind Europe’s thriving cultural and creative economy before the pandemic, and the staggering effects of venue and shop closures and health measures.

On 21st January, IMPALA held its third Digital Hour webinar with CMU.

This edition was all about speedy updates on recent and upcoming One Step Ahead reports. It was the opportunity for members to ask questions and share ideas that will inform and influence our future research.

2020 was a unique year, marked by the coronavirus pandemic. The creativity of European independent labels throughout the year really stood out and their release schedules were a highlight.

Alyona Alyona (ua), Inhaler (ie), Julia Bardo (it), Lous and the Yakuza (be), Melenas (es), Rimon (nl), Sassy 009 (no), Vildá (fi) are the winners of the Music Moves Europe Talent Awards 2021.

As the realities of restriction of movement for musicians and crews between the UK and the EU start to become apparent, there have been accusations from both sides that negotiators rejected reasonable arrangements to facilitate touring.

IMPALA has initiated a new three-year collaboration with Vick Bain from vbain consulting and Arit Eminue of DiVA Apprenticeships to provide diversity and inclusion training to members.

Trade associations (TAs) are a vital piece of the independent music ecosystem, offering advocacy, education, and community resources to independents. TAs operate as a global network, and consist of independent labels, distributors, and rights-holders from specific regions around the world.

The 2021 Music Moves Europe Talent Awards Ceremony becomes fully digital. On Friday 15 January, starting at 20:00 hrs, the winners will be revealed of this annual EU prize for popular and contemporary music which is co-funded by the Creative Europe programme. The Public Choice Winner will be announced by the European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabriel.

Within the framework of IMPALA’s One Step Ahead project and to kick-start the new year, IMPALA and CMU present ‘State of Play 2021’, a one-hour webinar that will provide a guide to the digital music market as we head into 2021.

IMPALA has launched a new podcast series 20MinutesWith curated by Juliana Koranteng, the business journalist specialising in the international media and entertainment businesses.
The series is a year-long programme, part of IMPALA’s celebrations for its 20th anniversary.

Today, the European Commission published its long-awaited and concurrent proposals for a Digital Services Act (DSA) and a Digital Markets Act (DMA).

IMPALA welcomes today’s agreement on the next Creative Europe programme, the EU’s only programme dedicated to culture.

This year, IMPALA’s Outstanding Contribution Award goes to the #Love Record Stores campaign. Jason Rackham, MD of [PIAS] UK, created and led the campaign which has grown into a successful international movement.

The very first report of IMPALA’s new One Step Ahead project is out, and it’s all about playlists in the music streaming market, with a webinar on 11 December at 3pm CET for IMPALA members.

Nine months after the start of the Covid-19 crisis, with most of Europe at varying stages of second wave lockdown and gradual deconfinement expected, IMPALA’s Covid-19 Task Force has issued a new call for action.

The music sector supports two million jobs and contributes €81.9 billion annually to the economy across the 27 EU Member States and the UK (EU28), according to The Economic Impact of Music in Europe, an in-depth study by Oxford Economics that was commissioned by IFPI.

Earlier today, EU institutions reached a preliminary political agreement on the future EU budget 2021-2027, ending months of deadlock.

If confirmed, the agreement represents very welcome news for the cultural sector, as Creative Europe – the only EU programme fully dedicated to culture – would see its budget increase to €2.2bn, up from the current €1.46bn for the 2014-2020 programme.

IMPALA has teamed up with music business consultancy CMU Insights to launch One Step Ahead, a new digital intelligence facility to enable independent music companies across Europe to navigate and identify trends, developments, challenges and opportunities in the digital music market.

110 organisations from across the cultural and creative sector have published a joint call on the EU and its Members States to place culture at the core of each and every recovery plan.

IMPALA has adopted a Diversity and Inclusion Charter setting out a series of twelve commitments for the organisation, which it will report on annually.

Today, 21 organisations from across the cultural and creative sector wrote to members of the European Parliament to ask them to support a number of amendments tabled on the draft Report on a Recovery and Resilience Facility.

Today, 26 organisations from across Europe’s cultural and creative sectors wrote to European Commissioners Thierry Breton (Internal Market) and Paolo Gentiloni (Economy) regarding the EU’s flagship investment programme InvestEU.

Tonight, the nominees for the Music Moves Europe Talent Awards were announced at the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, Germany in presence of the European Commissioner for Culture, Mariya Gabriel.

As the European Commission consultation on article 17 guidance closes later today, IMPALA joins a wide-ranging group of rightholder organisations in expressing serious concerns with the Commission’s direction of travel.

Performance artist Marina Abramović, singer-songwriters Björk and MØ, dance choreographer Anne-Teresa De Keersmaeker, film directors Agnieszka Holland, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, electronic music pionneer Jean-Michel Jarre, theatre director Ivo Van Hove, conceptual visual artist Daniel Buren, film music composer Alberto Iglesias and writer Nina George are among the many acclaimed names behind this call.

Earlier this week, Music Declares Emergency and IMPALA had a video meeting with Mariya Gabriel, the European Commissioner responsible for culture, innovation, research, education and youth.

On 19 June, EU leaders will meet in Brussels to discuss the Commission’s proposed recovery fund and EU long-term budget.

Ahead of this meeting, 94 organisations representing the whole spectrum of Europe’s cultural and creative sector have issued a joint call for strong and systemic support measures at EU and national level to recover from the crisis.

In support of #BlackOutTuesday IMPALA is pausing all normal business and postponing its members and board meeting scheduled for 2 June.

As the EU’s Ministers of Culture prepare to meet tomorrow to discuss the impact of Covid-19 on cultural and creative sectors, IMPALA reiterates its call for an ambitious 5-year recovery strategy for this sector.