The EU Council has adopted on 12 September 2011 a directive extending within the EU the term of protection of the rights of performers and phonogram producers from 50 to 70 years. The new directive intends to increase the level of protection of performers by acknowledging their creative and artistic contributions. The directive also provides for measures in order to ensure that artists who have transferred their exclusive rights to phonogram producers actually benefit from the term extension and may get back their rights subject to certain conditions. Furthermore, the directive harmonises the method of calculating the term of protection of songs and other musical compositions with words created by several authors. The protection expires 70 years after the death of the last person that survives between the author of the lyrics and the composer of the music. Member states will have to incorporate the new provisions into their national legislations within two years.