Source: Book Industry Study Group (BISG) 
BISG has published a policy statement that details best practices for assigning ISBNs to digital products. It aims to prevent product identification confusion. The article posted on 7 December 2011 may be viewed here.
 

Source: International Conferderation of Music Publishers (ICMP) 
The Global Repertoire Database Working Group, has now launched its Stakeholder Engagement and Scoping Study. The Study will involve a 20-week industry-wide consultation to determine the technical, data, business process and organisational design aspects of the Global Repertoire Database, as well as the approach to governance and funding. The article posted on 27 September 2011 may be viewed here.

Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) 
As WIPO Director General Francis Gurry resumed the international intellectual property (IP) community faces three major challenges in the coming years – management of demand of IP applications, the migration of all cultural content to the Internet, and enhancing the capacity of least developed and developing countries to use the IP system for encouraging innovation and creativity. The article posted on 26 September 2011 may be viewed here.

ISMN took part in a Regional Seminar for African ISBN agencies on 14 September 2011 in Pretoria with a presentation of the International Standard Music Number. 

On the occasion of the ISMN Annual General Meeting on 13 September 2011 in Pretoria South Africa became new member of the ISMN community. The ISMN agency will be oprated by the National Library in Pretoria. The photo shows John Tsebe, National Librarian of South Africa, and Hartmut Walravens signing the contract.

Source: Supply Chain Digest 
During the last months the Supply Chain Digest published several articles on the pros and cons and the future of RFID technology. Some of them may be viewed here: 6July2011, 27July2011, 10August 2011, 8September2011.

Source: International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) 
At the third World Copyright Summit, organised by CISAC (the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers) on June 7 and 8 in Brussels, over 730 participants brought representatives from all creative repertoires together to discuss the future of the creative industry. They found to "share a common goal in supporting the rights of creators. Participants also agreed on the necessity to jointly find workable solutions for the challenges of the current digital marketplace. These include: initiatives for a Global Repertoire Database (GRD) and cross-border licensing for musical works; proposals to uphold the value of book content through a specific pricing model of eBooks, or the use of DRMs and the launch of legal platforms by book publishers; the harmonisation of the resale right for visual artists in Europe and hopefully worldwide; the need to harmonise audiovisual copyright laws across Europe to support digital distribution of films and ensure that authors get remunerated every time their works get used." The article posted on 11 August 2011 may be viewed here.

Source: Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) 
Younison as a pan-European pressure group that strives to get the voice of music artists heard by politicians at the European Union (EU) level teamend up with the Features Artits Coalition to make sure the European Commission (EC), the executive body of the EU, takes into consideration artists’ needs whilst drafting a new directive on collective rights management. They also proclaimed a growing need for a pan-EU licensing system. The article posted on 25 June 2011 may be viewed here.

Source: International Conferderation of Music Publishers (ICMP) 
"This significant agreement which aims to educate and direct people towards legal content online reflects the increasing awareness of the importance of copyright protection and enforcement throughout the world and optimises the relationship between creators, service and content providers and consumers." "Online theft not only jeopardises jobs and the creative economy but threatens the very creativity that provides us with such a rich cultural environment. This "Copyright Alert" system will help people become more aware of the wide variety of legal offers that exist." Ger Hatton, Secretary General, ICMP, the global voice of music publishing. The article may be viewed here.

Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) 
WIPO announced a project to build a common digital platform which will help streamline the identification of protected musical works across 11 West African countries, helping creators from these countries get paid for their work through a simplified and standardized rights registration system. The article posted on 8 June 2011 may be viewed here.