The International Music Joint Venture (IMJV) started in 1998. It was the first joint partnership to create a database between multiple different collective management organizations (CMOs). BUMA/STEMRA (Netherland), PRS (UK) and ASCAP (USA) were the founders. The database was supposed to be created using the metadata stored on Utrecht and London computers. IMJV invited many CMOs like SGAE (Spain), BMI (USA) and Harry Fox Agency, but for one reason or another many organizations did not join. Problems started to rise because IMJV was a way for STEMRA to move around employees they could not fire because of the laws in Holland at the time. When IMJV invited GEMA (Germany), they refused because they would have to fire their staff because the deal required STEMRA staff to take their place. Smaller CMOs started to believe that they would become redundant if IMJV launched. The larger CMOs who had already joined became reluctant to reduce their status and profitability by releasing the information for their repertoire. In late 2001, the initiative dissolved without a single operating office. At its peak, IMJV represented 21% of the world's music.
