The Secretary of the Presidency, Alvaro Delgado, reported that he met this Monday with authorities of Spotify to reach an agreement and not leave the Uruguay as they had announced weeks ago.
The government is looking for a solution so that the platform streaming music Swedish woman does not leave the country. In that sense, Delgado assured that “there are two or three alternatives, one could be a regulatory decree“The leader would have met via Zoom to begin negotiations with Spotify, as reported by El País.
“We are talking, together with a legal teamand we are looking for a solution that is practical but that is also what we all want, that they continue in the same conditions as they are today,” said the Secretary of the Presidency and current pre-candidate to the press. Delgado assured that the resolution of the talks they would have to be in these weeks and he said that trust “absolutely” that the music platform does not leave the Uruguayan market.
Spotify’s statement
The Swedish company confirmed last week that it will leave Uruguay next year, gradually withdrawing it from January 1, 2024 and completely ending its services in the country in February and that the premium version It will be the first to be unavailable.
“We are contacting you to share important news about the service of Spotify in Uruguay. Unfortunately, Spotify will begin to gradually withdraw its service in Uruguay starting January 1, 2024, and service will completely cease in February“said the company, officially confirming what it had already announced on November 20 but which had been put on hold amid the government’s negotiations to find a solution.
The Swedish company insists that after the approval of the Accountability Law —particularly, modifications in copyright matters—, could end up having to pay twice for the same songs when it already pays almost 70% of every dollar it generates from music to the record labels and publishers that represent the artists and songwriters. “Our business of connecting artists and fans will be unsustainable,” he explained in the statement.
Service Spotify Premium He will be the first to disappear from the country. Those users who are subscribed will receive their last bill this month and, in turn, it will be the last in which they can take advantage of its benefits. “After this, you will go to a free account until the suspension of the service on February 1,” the company told its users.
“We understand that this news may be disappointing and we sincerely appreciate your understanding at this difficult time. Thank you for being part of the community Spotify. We hope to serve you again in the future,” the text concluded.
What are the articles that Spotify points out?
Spotify claimed from the first moment, before the Accountability Law was approved, about the modifications in two articles: the 284 and the 285.
The first is based on the fact that the social networks and the Internet like other formats by which, if a song is reproduced, the performer has the right to a economic remuneration.
On the other hand, the modification of article 285 proposes that “the agreements entered into by authors, composers, performers, directors and scriptwriters with respect to their power of public communication and making phonograms and audiovisual recordings available to the public” have the right to a fair and equitable remuneration.
Although this was approved by Parliament, until a few days ago the government continued seeking alternatives so that the Swedish company did not leave the country, taking advantage of the window until January 1 for the law to come into force.
“The law provides a framework, the regulatory decree could order the agreement and ensure that everyone is relatively satisfied,” considered the Senate of the PJorge Gandini National Art in this regard, raising the possibility that the president Luis Lacalle Pou will take action on the matter after his return from China. Something that, apparently, would not have happened.
Source: Ambito
