Belgium Collecting Society

1. 07/12/2010
Who are we?
Who are our members?
What do we do?
What rights do we manage?
What are our projects?
Axel Beelen
11/12/2010
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A collective management society of AR of Journalists from the written press and the
journalists audiovisual media’s (radio & TV)
Unique in Europe! 3.000 members
Founded in 1995 by the professional Increase of 7-8% per year
associations of the Belgian journalists Conditions: a single payment of 50 EUR, at
Small organization least one declaration of works and a
Located in the center of Brussels acceptance by our board
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(1) Obligation in BE to go through a Through all its activities, SAJ defends the
CMS to perceive collective rights interests and the moral rights of their
(2) SAJ negotiates and collects rights member authors -> direct relationship with
payments from entities that use protected the professional associations
works and distribute them to rights holders
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SAJ is a member of Reprobel and Auvibel In BE, those rights cannot be collected by the
Reprobel is the Belgian organisation employer of the journalists (even if the
responsible for the reprographics rights (copy contract says the contrary or in the case of
on paper) (art. 5, 2, a InfoSoc Directive) and silence of the contract, they belong to the
lending right (2006/115/EC Directive) journalists)
Auvibel is the Belgian organisation In BE:
responsible for the private copy (electronic ◦ reprographic rights: 50% authors – 50% publishers
copy) (art. 5, 2, a InfoSoc Directive) ◦ private copying compensation: authors
(1/3), artists (1/3) and producers (1/3)
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Yearly, SAJ distributes these collective rights Beside the management of those collective
to its members rights, SAJ has signed contracts related to the
Basis: previous year production use of works of members (= exclusive rights)
Note: With the publishers (FR & NL), with entities
◦ In BE, taxation AR (since 2008): 15% (movable regarding their clipping activities, with
withholding tax) individuals
Our tariff are published (www.saj.be)
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To consolidate our activities in the sector of
the written press Trying to pacify relations with our
To extend our actions in the audiovisual « competitors » (other CMS, publishers)
sector (cable rights, horeca (hotels) rights) Etc.
To be a solid partner in the digital era for the
Belgian and EU institutions (digitisation,
orphan works)
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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