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Very good article of the planned lobbying by the recording industry to extend the copyrights on sound recording performances in Europe from the present 50 years. http://www.indexonline.org/news/20040812_unitedstates.shtml One question which no one seems to be asking is if the recording industry wants retroactive copyright status applied to older sound recordings which have already passed into the Public Domain in Europe (those recorded before 1953.) This would set a very bad precedent to begin wholesale movement of Public Domain material back to a copyrighted status. Also, another aspect not discussed is the so-called "Harmonization" argument the recording companies use to try to extend copyright terms for sound recordings by using the U.S. 95 year term for post-1972 recordings. First, one can argue that harmonization can go the other direction -- why didn't the U.S. conform to the 50 year term found in Europe. Second, and more interestingly, pre-1972 U.S. recordings are not protected by Federal Copyright law! (Instead they are protected by State copyright and other laws, often with "perpetual" terms.) How does one harmonize with U.S. Federal Copyright law for the 1953-1972 recordings when there is nothing recognizable to harmonize with? Just a few thoughts for discussion. Jon Noring (Some may be interested in a related article I wrote late last year: http://www.projectgramophone.org/TeleRead-Article-01Nov2003.html )