GESAC - THE EUROPEAN AUTHORS’ SOCIETIES

We are the vital link between creators and the users of their works

News 31 July 2020

YouTube refuses fair pay, removes all Danish music

Google has decided unilaterally to remove from YouTube all Danish music! The reprehensible decision, which penalises Danish creators and music fans, comes in the middle of negotiations between the giant platform and Nordic authors societies, and after YouTube's parent company said payments provided to composers and songwriters must be reduced by almost 70% for an extension of the existing agreement with GESAC member Koda. (more…)

News 31 July 2020

Winner of the ALAI Award 2020 announced

The ceremony for the second edition of the ALAI European Authors' Right Award had to be cancelled, however the winner has been announced and will be awarded at next year's ceremony. (more…)

News 14 July 2020

“We call on EU leaders to be bold” – prominent creators sign op-ed

"European culture is in the midst of a crisis. How decision-makers choose to respond now will set the scene for the next decade of cultural and creative life in our union." ................................ ......................................... ................................ ............................................................... So reads the opening line of an op-ed to EU leaders signed by some of Europe's most prominent creators. (more…)

News 2 July 2020

Annual Activity Report 2019

GESAC's 2019 Annual Report takes a look back at how the adoption of the Copyright Directive changed Europe's creative landscape and marked a new begging for authors. (more…)

Highlights

Covid-19 recovery: what’s the damage and how can we move forward?

The COVID-19 crisis has been devastating for the whole cultural sector. From venues to rightsholders and right down to the individual creators themselves, no one in our sector has been left untouched by this crisis.

Highlights

COVID-19: creators call for the EU to act now

GESAC has sent a statement to the European institutions which includes recommendations on how to best support European creators during this global pandemic.

Creators who rely on the public performance of their work are facing the prospect of present and future earnings being wiped out, as lockdowns take their toll on Europe’s economy.

Highlights

Buy-out contracts: a dangerous threat to European creators

European music creators are being forced to forsake thousands of euros in future earnings by draconian ‘work made for hire’ and buy-out contracts

Read more to find out how Video On Demand platforms and broadcasters are circumventing EU law and what can be done about it.

Highlights

President Sassoli's speech at Meet the Authors

The President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, was enthusiastically supportive of culture and the creative industries in a video message shown at Meet the Authors.

Watch the speech here

Highlights

What is Article 17 and how does it level the playing field

Article 17, formerly Article 13, was one of the most hotly contested issues surrounding the Copyright Directive. Click below to find out how it will benefit creators and the creative sector.

Policy

The protection of authors’rights is essential: without this, creators wouldn’t be paid for the use of their work

Hot in the news

Buy-out contracts: a dangerous threat to European creators

Read more to find out how video on demand platforms and broadcasters are circumventing EU law and what can be done about it.

European music creators (composers, lyricists etc.) are being forced to forsake thousands of euros in future earnings by draconian ‘work made for hire’ and buy-out contracts

Hot in the news

The Copyright Directive

In April 2019, the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market was formally adopted, bringing hugely positives effects for Europe’s creators

Read more about the Copyright Directive and the key protections it provides to creators

Transfer of Value – How Article 17 levels the playing field

Read more about the directive and the key protections it provides...

The Broadcasting Directive

Read more about how the Broadcasting Directive addresses emerging problems in online broadcasting

The Resale Right Directive

The Resale Right Directive aims at harmonising EU rules on ensuring authors of graphic and plastic arts are remunerated for their works

The CRM Directive

Read more about the Collective Rights Management Directive the role of collective management organisations

Cross-Border Portability Regulation

Read more about how the European institutions reached a deal over a final text for the Cross-Border Portability Regulation

We represent 33 members
from 28 different countries.
Our members distributed €5.4 billion royalties in 2018 and invested €216 million in European culture

Representing creators from all over Europe

GESAC brings together organisations from a range of sectors to protect authors’ rights and promote their best interests. Our members manage the rights of their authors’ works and represent them in negotiations to secure things like fair remuneration. They are run by their members, are non-profit, and provide a crucial service in the creative sector that enables authors to create.

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