Last week the BPI, on behalf of the UK's recording industry, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), with the UK’s six largest internet service providers, the Motion Picture Association of America and the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR).

The MOU placed joint commitments on the signatories to "continue developing consumer education programmes and legal online services", according to a BPI statement, which continued:

"Most importantly, for the first time ISPs will be required to work with music and other rightsholders towards a “significant reduction” in illegal filesharing. To achieve this, in the first year hundreds of thousands of informative letters will be sent by participating ISPs to customers whose accounts have been identified by BPI as being used illegally. In addition, under the auspices of Ofcom, the signatories will work together to identify effective mechanisms to deal with repeat offenders."

Commenting following signature of the MoU, the BERR observed that:

"This is a world-first solution aiming to provide consumers with content in the way they wish to use it, encouraging new uses of technology and protecting Britain's world leading creative industries."

"The agreement is central to the Government's preferred industry-led approach, outlined in a consultation document released today on legislative options to address unlawful file sharing online."

Business Secretary of State John Hutton added:

"This is an intelligent approach to tackling unlawful fire-sharing by industry and ISPs. It tells consumers what they can do, rather than just what they can't."

"This light-touch approach keeps up with the pace set by technology and will protect consumers, creative industries and the use of technology now and in the longer term."

Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Andy Burnham concluded by announcing that:

"Britain's creative industries have grown quickly in the last 10 years and will play a bigger role in our future. Their success is critically underpinned by workable systems of copyright and that is why the issues we are discussing today go to the heart of our economy."

"We made a commitment to tackle these difficult issues and I am encouraged by the new focus and momentum. But we want solutions that work for everybody."