17 February 2014

GESAC welcomes the adoption of Key Principles on the Management of the Author Resale Right

Michel Barnier, European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services, presided today over the signing of Key principles and recommendations on the management of the author resale right. Resale right is an essential intellectual property right for visual artists. It guarantees authors of graphic, plastic and photographic arts the ability to earn a fair share from the resale of their work by an auction house or gallery. Resale right is now in place in 66 countries and draft laws aiming at implementing it are underway in many countries, including the two largest world art markets: the United States and China.

These key principles and recommendations are the result of a Stakeholder Dialogue launched at the beginning of 2013 to find practical solutions to improve the administration of the right for all stakeholders. They have been agreed by representatives of rightholders’ community including Collective Management Organisations as well as by representatives of art market professionals, dealers and auctioneers.

Christophe Depreter President of GESAC said: “By providing visual artists with proper economic rewards, the resale right has a clear stimulating effect on creation. Today’s agreement is a clear sign that all those involved in the creation and dissemination of works of art and in the remuneration of creators take great care of the future of the European art market”

Check out the video of the cerimony together with Barnier’s intervention.

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Background information on GESAC: The European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers represents 33 of the main copyright management societies in the European Union, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, administering the rights and remuneration of almost 700 000 authors, composers and writers in a variety of sectors (music, audio-visual, literary and visual and graphic arts) and music publishers.
Contact
Véronique Desbrosses General Manager
Martine Rezzi Senior Legal Advisor
(32.2) 511.44.54

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