The music industry has been dancing with glee since February, when the Internal Market Commissioner announced his proposal to extend the term of protection of copyright in sound recordings in the EU from 50 to 95 years.

However, while record companies and session players are rejoicing, the dream for featured performers - artists who are billed on records - now seems to have soured.

A leaked draft directive indicates that the "clean-slate" provision initially proposed by McCreevy has since been ...