PPL issues draft consultation of first code of conduct
It comes off the back of the Government’s plans to tighten up the conduct of copyright collection firms, as part of the Hargreaves review of Intellectual Property and Growth.
The industry is currently in negotiation over PPL’s plans to increase its Specially Featured Entertainment (SFE) fees by up to 4,000%.
The draft code of conduct consultation states that PPL “is committed to setting fair and reasonable tariffs” so that its members receive fair payment for their creative work.
It adds: “When we propose to introduce a new licensing scheme, or amend an exicting scheme, we will take a fair, reasonable and proportionate approach to consultation.”
For PPL’s complaints procedure, the draft consultation sets out a step-by-step guide for licensees and prospective licensees. This includes complaining to PPL directly, and then to its ombudsman service as the final step if all else fails.
The document adds: “We are committed to providing first-class service to all our customers, and this code sets out our key commitments to our licensees and prospective licensees. It sets out important information about PPL, what you can expect from us, and how you can help us to help you.”
PPL is set to bring in the code of conduct in November. The consultation runs until 19 October. For more information, and to respond to the consultation, visit: www.ppluk.com
A British Beer and Pub Association spokesman said: “We will be responding to the consultation in detail, as we have been calling for collecting societies to implement codes of conduct for some time. It is good to see that PPL is now moving forward on this, as PRS for Music have already done, along the lines of the recommendations in the Hargreaves review.”
