Universal ties up deal for pan-European licences.

UMPG's deal with French collection society Sacem paves way for simplified multi-territory licensing

Universal Music Publishing Group chairman and CEO David Renzer is predicting that a simplified multi-territory licensing structure long demanded by Steve Jobs and others is finally on the way, with others set to follow his company's new deal with Sacem.

The world's biggest music publisher last week announced at Midem a tie- up with the French collection society to handle multi-territory licensing and administration of Universal's rights for online and mobile across Europe.

The tie-up, which is expected to become operational in quarter two, comes two years after EMI Music Publishing struck a similar deal with the UK's MCPS-PRS and Germany's Gema to handle such rights across Europe.

Now UMPG chairman and CEO Renzer forecasts similar deals struck by his competitors will follow, a situation underlined by independent music publisher Peermusic itself last week announcing a pan-European online and mobile licensing deal with MCPS-PRS for Anglo-American repertoire and with Spain's SGAE for Latin-American repertoire.

In addition, Warner/Chappell announced last week that Gema, the MCPS- PRS and Sweden's Stim had become the first three collection societies to sign up for its Pan-European Digital Licensing (PEDL) initiative.

"I think we're going to see more announcements, more major publishers, major independents, major societies able to work together in a co- operative way to offer an easier licensing solution," Renzer says.