short introduction of the belgian saj (collective management society of authorsrights specialised...

Axel Beelen

11/12/2010

� Who are we?

� Who are our members?

� What do we do?

� What rights do we manage?

� What are our projects?

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� A collective management society of AR of journalists

� Unique in Europe!

� Founded in 1995 by the professional associations of the Belgian journalists

� Small organization

� Located in the center of Brussels

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� Journalists from the written press and the audiovisual media’s (radio & TV)

� 3.000 members

� Increase of 7-8% per year

� Conditions: a single payment of 50 EUR, at least one declaration of works and a acceptance by our board

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� (1) Obligation in BE to go through a

CMS to perceive collective rights

� (2) SAJ negotiates and collects rights payments from entities that use protected works and distribute them to rights holders

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� Through all its activities, SAJ defends the interests and the moral rights of their member authors -> direct relationship with the professional associations

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� SAJ is a member of Reprobel and Auvibel

� Reprobel is the Belgian organisation responsible for the reprographic rights (copy on paper) (art. 5, 2, a InfoSoc Directive) and lending right (2006/115/EC Directive)

� Auvibel is the Belgian organisation responsible for the private copy (electronic copy) (art. 5, 2, b InfoSoc Directive)

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� In BE, those rights cannot be collected by the employer of the journalists (even if the contract says the contrary or in the case of silence of the contract, they belong to the journalists)

� In BE: ◦ reprographic rights: 50% authors – 50% publishers

◦ private copying compensation: authors

(1/3), artists (1/3) and producers (1/3)

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� Yearly, SAJ distributes these collective rights to its members

� Basis: previous year production

� Note:◦ In BE, taxation AR (since 2008): 15% (movable

withholding tax)

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� Beside the management of those collective rights, SAJ has signed contracts related to the use of works of members (= exclusive rights)

� With the publishers (FR & NL), with entities regarding their clipping activities, with individuals

� Our tariff are published (www.saj.be)

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� To consolidate our activities in the sector of the written press

� To extend our actions in the audiovisual sector (cable rights, horeca (hotels) rights)

� To be a solid partner in the digital era for the Belgian and EU institutions (digitisation, orphan works)

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� Trying to pacify relations with our « competitors » (other CMS, publishers)

� Etc.

There is still a lot to do!

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Thank you for your attention

Questions?

=> Axel Beelen: juriste@saj.be

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