PERFORMERS’ RIGHTS STUDY

PERFORMERS’ RIGHTS STUDY

Performers’ rights look like authors’ rights, but they are very different in level of protection as well as terms of protection. It is therefore a constant task for AEPO-ARTIS to point out to policymakers that performers are confronted with their own challenges that deserve their own solutions.

This is especially true at the EU level. Although the EU has already made a big effort in harmonizing the rules on copyright and related rights through several directives, the exercise is far from complete. The limitations of the harmonization and the continued existence of different rules in the EU Member States make it difficult for performers to pursue their profession on an equal footing and complicate the collaboration between their collective management organizations.

This is why, in 2007, AEPO-ARTIS published its first study on “Performers’ Rights in European Legislation: Situation and Elements for Improvement”. The study provided an overview of performers’ rights and assesses the impact of some of the main legal provisions affecting performers’ rights and the collective management thereof. It examined the extent to which they have had an impact on the current situation of performers, identifies certain unsatisfactory measures and makes proposals for improving the lives of performers today.

The study was very well received and has been updated several times. The last in 2018.