CISAC welcomes EU proposal for a directive on collective management of copyright and related rights and multi-territorial licensing of rights in musical works for online uses in the internal market

Paris, July 11, 2012 - CISAC (the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers) welcomes the European Commission’s initiative to harmonise the rules governing collective management of rights and to promote the online licensing of musical works. 

Authors’ societies around the world recognise the need for effective governance rules and CISAC has adopted and implemented Professional Rules and best practices to ensure that its members operate under the highest standards of governance, business efficiency and financial transparency. 

“CISAC members in their continued efforts to improve their services to creators have already voluntarily adopted standards and best practices that meet or exceed the Commission’s criteria,” said Olivier Hinnewinkel, Director General of CISAC. “For example, recent updates to CISAC Professional Rules require a quarterly distribution of royalties between musical rights societies. We are striving to constantly improve our code of conduct and willing to share our expertise with the European Parliament and Commission, to help create a useful framework for creators. ”

Authors’ societies assist creators in managing and licensing their rights and in collecting and distributing their royalties fairly and efficiently. It is in creators’ interest that their works are widely available on every legal platform. Authors’ societies around the world have been licensing an increasing number of online music services and are constantly seeking solutions to allow them to issue multi-territorial licences for the use of global repertoire, while protecting the economic value of their rights. 

“Facilitating the digital distribution of creators’ works is in the best interests of authors and helps promote cultural diversity, said Kenth Muldin, Chair of CISAC Board of Directors.  “The EU initiative will have an impact outside Europe and will be looked at by other countries in developing their domestic rules on collective management. CISAC and its members are willing to work with the Commission and the Parliament to create a useful framework for collective management in the offline and online environment.”

Europe, and especially Western Europe, is the most dynamic and efficient region in terms of collective management of copyright. Royalties collected by authors’ societies, member of CISAC, on behalf of creators for the use of their works in the region topped 4.6bn EUR (61% of worldwide collections).

More information

Read more on Recent updates to CISAC Professional Rules

Access CISAC professional Rules for authors’ societies

Figures on royalties collected by authors’ societies worldwide in 2010

European Commission Proposal for a Directive

About CISAC

Presided over by legendary singer and songwriter Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees (until his death on May 20, 2012) and internationally recognized visual artist Hervé di Rosa, CISAC – the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers – is the leading worldwide network of authors’ societies protecting and promoting the interests of creators and rightsholders. CISAC mission is to enable authors’ societies to seamlessly represent creators across the globe and, in particular, to assist them in ensuring that royalties flow to authors for the use of their works anywhere in the world. To this end, CISAC provides the highest business & technical standards to protect creators’ rights and to support the development of the international network of collective management societies.

Through its membership of 233 authors’ societies from 122 countries, CISAC represents over 3 million creators and publishers of literary and artistic works in all genres (music, drama, literature, audiovisual, photography and the visual arts). In 2010, the royalties collected by CISAC's member societies in their respective national territories topped 7.5bn EUR.

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Contacts:

Marianne Rollet, CISAC Communications Director, marianne.rollet@cisac.org 

+33 (0)1 55 62 08 57