SoundExchange, along with a coalition of nine other music industry organizations, sent a letter to United States Trade Representative (USTR) Robert E. Lighthizer urging him to make full national treatment for sound recordings a priority in future trade agreements. Specifically, the letter asked for the inclusion of national treatment provisions in the upcoming U.S.-U.K. free trade agreement, which would ensure that U.S. music creators are paid for the use of their music in the U.K. The other organizations behind the letter include Music Artists Coalition, American Association of Independent Music, Recording Academy, Future of Music Coalition, SAG-AFTRA, American Federation of Musicians, Music Managers Forum, Music Business Association, and musicFIRST.
This letter comes on the heels of the recent ratification of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, in which Canada agreed to grant Americans full national treatment. Canada is the first of six countries SoundExchange identified in its Special 301 filing earlier this year to implement national treatment protections for U.S. music creators.