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GESAC welcomes  final adoption of the Orphan Works Directive by the Council. The decision follows an agreement with the European Parliament at first reading. The Directive aims to allow institutions like museums and libraries to make orphan works available online, for the benefit of the public.

No profit system

The institutions who make orphan works available on the Internet may only generate money to cover the costs of making the works available online.

Rights holders’ integrity upheld 

A work would become ‘orphan’ after a ‘diligent’ search fails to identify or locate the copyright holder(s). Rights holder(s) may then end the orphan status of a work by identifying themselves as the right holder and would  be compensated for the use made of it.

Read the full press release by Gesac, European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers below:

Being able to track the right holders of every musical work over the Internet is crucial for ensuring that creators receive fair payment for the online use of their work. The Global Repertoire Database, an ambitious and innovative project embarked on by a range of stakeholders across the music industry, including author societies, will ensure music creators the world over are properly paid for the work they produce.

The Global Repertoire Database will establish – for the first time – a centralised and authoritative data store of who owns the rights on musical works worldwide and how their right holders are paid when they are used online or via mobile services.

Private copying is becoming a more and more frequent subject of debate. The companies which market copying devices are systematically attacking the system through European and national courts, lobbying and through the press. On behalf of hundreds of thousands of creators we, the undersigned organisations representing authors, performers and producers of musical, audiovisual, literary and visual arts works, feel the need to give a reminder of why private copying combined with fair remuneration remains essential.

Over 50 years ago, the first commercially available recording devices created a dilemma. Copyright as it stood at the time required permission for each act of copying of protected works. It was practically impossible for private users to get permission whenever they wanted to copy something. At the same time, rightsholders were clearly entitled to remuneration for such use of their works.

Last year, 17 author societies from 14 European Union countries alone spent three times the European Union culture budget on cultural and social initiatives. Without their support, European culture would be less vibrant, and Europe’s creators less secure.

Sometimes, author societies talk too much about their role as rights managers (tracking and re-distributing funds that are owed to their members) and not enough about their broader work as cultural and social partners to European creators – their members – everywhere.

Today, we’ll set that record straight.

Most author societies – with the consent of their members – have voluntarily expanded their role to include various activities that protect the social welfare of their members and promote cultural activities where they are based.