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WASHINGTON, DC – More than 18 groups representing virtually the entire United States music community issued the following joint statement regarding the announcement of a U.S.-Mexico agreement in principle on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

STATEMENT OF A2IM, AIMP, ASCAP, AFM, AMA, BMI, CMPA, CMTA, GMA, GMR, The Living Legends Foundation, MMF, NMPA, NSAI, SESAC, Rhythm & Blues Foundation, RIAA, Recording Academy, SoundExchange, USAlliance for Music:

“As supporters of the effort to modernize NAFTA, we look forward to reviewing the text of this agreement in the hopes of confirming that the U.S. will stand with America’s creators, including the men and women of our music community.

“American music contributes $143 billion and 1.9 million jobs to our nation’s economy, but those contributions are jeopardized by the erosion of copyright perpetuated by those exploiting creators’ work for their own profit.  We are deeply concerned by the efforts of some to use the agreement to lock in flawed interpretations of pre-Internet ‘safe harbors’ perpetuating the theft of American music, creating safe havens preventing successful enforcement efforts within our trading partner nations, and severely harming our country’s creators and their contributions to U.S. growth, jobs and surplus.

“To enhance America’s competitiveness, a modernized NAFTA must provide clear and strong copyright protections, and not reward those seeking to profit unjustly from American creators, the lifeblood of our culture and economy.”