RIAA Welcomes WTO Appellate Decision

WASHINGTON, DC (Top40 Charts/ RIAA) - In response to the recent World Trade Organization (WTO) Appellate Body decision affirming China's violation of its WTO obligations, RIAA offered the following comment, attributed to Neil Turkewitz, EVP, International:

"We greet today's important and unequivocal decision upholding the earlier Panel Report on the incompatibility of certain Chinese measures with great optimism. China maintains a variety of restrictions on the ability of U.S. record companies to do business in China, thereby undermining the potential for growth in the world's most populous country. Today's decision is a reminder of the importance of international trade rules that govern the behavior of states, and which generally ban overtly discriminatory measures. Ultimately, liberalization of China's market will serve the interests of U.S. and Chinese creators alike by providing a more robust and competitive infrastructure for the distribution of creative materials.

"We congratulate USTR on this accomplishment, and express our admiration for their advocacy and perseverance. We also call upon China to move quickly to implement the reforms required by this decision, and to thereby expand the ability of all creators, regardless of their nationality, to provide their audiences with access to legitimate materials."

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is the trade organization that supports and promotes the creative and financial vitality of the major music companies. Its members are the music labels that comprise the most vibrant record industry in the world. RIAA members create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 85% of all legitimate recorded music produced and sold in the United States.

In support of this mission, the RIAA works to protect the intellectual property and First Amendment rights of artists and music labels; conduct consumer, industry and technical research; and monitor and review state and federal laws, regulations and policies. The RIAA also certifies Gold, Platinum, Multi-Platinum and Diamond sales awards as well as Los Premios De Oro y Platino, an award celebrating Latin music sales.