US Targets AllofMP3.com In Agreement With Russia To Join WTO
In a letter from the USA to Russia regarding what it must achieve to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), it appears that AllofMP3.com must be shut down. Hard to imagine that AllofMP3.com would be sticking point in negotiations to join the WTO, but a summary of negotiations from the US Trade Representative targets AllofMP3.com as an illegal distributor of music.
It appears the Russian government has agreed to shut down popular music site AllofMP3.com in order to appease US objections to it joining the World Trade Organisation (WTO). However, the management of the site still insists it is legal.
The summary says: “The United States and Russia agreed on the objective of shutting down websites that permit illegal distribution of music and other copyright works. The agreement names the Russia-based website allofmp3.com as an example of such a website. “Russia will take enforcement actions against the operation of Russia-based websites, and investigate and prosecute companies that illegally distribute copyright works on the internet.” The agreement calls for Russia to shutdown such sites by June 1, 2007.
Mediaservices, the parent company of AllofMP3 and Alltunes, put out two statements again insisting the services are completely legal under Russian law. Another document explains why it is legal for US consumers to buy music from the site. The company also again offered to take down any material which rights holders want removed from the site.
Vadim Mamotin, director general at Mediaservices, said: “If the RIAA had done its homework, it would have discovered that even under US law consumers apparently have a legal basis to purchase music from AllofMP3. There is absolutely no legal basis for the campaign against AllofMP3.”
The Russian government also promises to take action against CD and DVD pirating companies using military facilities to make their copies. The side letter says: “Ensure that facilities on the territory of government-controlled military-industrial sites are not leased or otherwise made available to companies producing optical media bearing content protected by copyright or related rights.”
