Authors’ remuneration must be central to Commission copyright strategy
Society of Audiovisual Authors, celebrating its 5th anniversary, supports digital single market action that enables European screenwriters and directors to be remunerated for the exploitation of their works online anywhere in Europe.
Press Release, Brussels, 18th November 2015
The SAA insists that concrete changes to the remuneration situation of screenwriters and directors in the online environment can only come through a European approach including an unwaivable remuneration right for online exploitation, payable by online platforms and collectively managed.
Apart from discussing the leaked draft communication on copyright, the organisation:
- Elected Barbara Hayes, Deputy Chief Executive at ALCS, as the organisation’s new President
- Welcomed 3 new members from Bulgaria (Filmautor), Greece (Athina-SADA) and Slovenia (AIPA)
Chair of the SAA board of directors, Barbara Hayes said: “I’m honoured to have been elected chair of the SAA. There is a real opportunity for Europe to lead the way and make the online market work for Europe’s screenwriters and directors and I will support the work of the SAA to make that a reality.”
SAA Executive Director, Cécile Despringre added: “In 5 years we have seen the issue of audiovisual authors’ remuneration come to the fore. I’m delighted to welcome our new members at a time when there are hot discussion on copyright at EU level. We need our community to be united to push for concrete change in the situation for screenwriters and directors’ rights.”
The European Commission is currently discussing wide-reaching reform of authors’ rights, copyright and audiovisual media policy. A legislative proposal on portability is due on 9th December with further legislation on copyright and audiovisual media policy expected in 2016.
To learn more about why the SAA was created, read our blog post here. To read a list of SAA’s achievements over the last 5 years, click here.
About SAA
Founded in 2010, the Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA) is the association of European collective management organisations representing audiovisual authors. Its 29 members in 22 countries manage rights for over 120,000 film, television and multimedia European screenwriters and directors.
The organisation’s objectives are:
- to defend and strengthen the economic and moral rights of audiovisual authors;
- to secure fair remuneration for audiovisual authors for every use of their works.
- to develop, promote and facilitate the management of rights by member societies;