Industry braced for further Gowers shift.

Senior executives have their work cut out to justify compensation claims ahead of Lord Triesman's consultation process on music format shifting

The music industry faces its second key test on the Gowers Review following its unsuccessful bid to extend copyright term last year.

The new challenge comes as a consultation process on the format shifting exception - one of 54 recommendations proposed by Gowers - is undertaken by minister for Intellectual Property Lord Triesman. Senior executives now have a testing few weeks as they attempt to co-ordinate a powerful case for compensation for rights holders to accompany the exception.

The IP minister opened the two-stage consultation on a private copying exception and five other recommendations from the 2006 Gowers Review last week.

Triesman is keen to bring in a "sensible" law, which will allow people to legally move their music from their CDs to MP3 players and has asked the music industry and others to engage in his consultation, which he promises will take account of all interested parties. "It won't be quick and dirty," he said.

Although the Taking Forward The Gowers Review Of Intellectual Property: Proposed Changes to Copyright Exceptions consultation document proposes several options to allow limited format shifting, it does not currently provide for any compensation to be paid to songwriters and composers - something that happens in 22 other European countries, including France and Germany, where E600m (#452m) in revenue is collected.

Recommendation eight of Gowers relating to the format shifting exception specifically states "there should be no accompanying levies for consumers".