SAA - Society of Audiovisual Authors

United for fairness, legal certainty, and the protection of audiovisual authors’ rights in the Western Balkans

We, the undersigned representatives of collective management organisations (CMOs), audiovisual authors, and cultural institutions from across Central and Eastern Europe and the Western Balkans, gathered in Skopje at the Regional Seminar “Authors First: Copyright as the Cornerstone of Creativity and Culture in the Audiovisual Sector,” express our shared conviction that the respect and implementation of authors’ rights are a cornerstone of democratic maturity, cultural development, and European integration.

Copyright is not an abstract concept or bureaucratic procedure - it is the living infrastructure of creativity, enabling authors to sustain their work, and ensuring that culture continues to generate both social and economic value. When copyright works, creativity becomes an engine of growth; when it fails, an entire cultural ecosystem is silenced.

Concerns about the situation in North Macedonia

• Acknowledging the continued inability of the Association for the Protection of Audiovisual Copyright and Related Rights (AZAS) in North Macedonia to implement its lawfully submitted and positively assessed tariff;
• Recognizing that this has resulted in more than seven years without remuneration for Macedonian and foreign audiovisual authors;
• Recalling that the Commission for Copyright and Related Rights of North Macedonia issued a positive legal opinion on the AZAS tariff in January 2024, confirming full compliance with national and European law;
• Noting with deep concern that the Government of North Macedonia has yet to place this tariff for formal approval, thus preventing the lawful functioning of collective management and denying rightsholders the ability to earn fair compensation;
• Further noting that the European Commission’s 2023, 2024, and 2025 Enlargement Reports have repeatedly highlighted structural weaknesses in copyright governance, lack of legislative alignment with the Digital Single Market (DSM) and SatCab II Directives, and a critically understaffed copyright administration within the Ministry of Culture;
• Recognizing that these persistent issues undermine the rule of law, reciprocity, and mutual trust between European partners and threaten to marginalize authors within their own cultural economies.

Our united stand for authors’ rights

We, the participants and organisations gathered in Skopje, representing thousands of audiovisual authors and collective right management professionals across Europe and the Balkans, declare our unwavering unity, solidarity, and determination to uphold authors’ rights and ensure their fair remuneration.

We therefore:

1. Call upon the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia to immediately and unconditionally place the AZAS tariff on its agenda for approval, restoring legality and enabling AZAS to fulfil its lawful mandate.
2. The approval of tariffs will not only strengthen the position of rightsholders but will also generate measurable fiscal benefits for the state through the taxation of royalty income.
3. Emphasize that approval of the AZAS tariff is an independent and urgent legal act, which must not be delayed or linked to the future adoption of new copyright legislation. Legislative modernization is important, but it must follow, not precede, the fulfilment of existing obligations toward authors.
4. Call upon the Parliament, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of European Affairs and the Ministry of Justice to take the necessary institutional measures ensuring that collective management of rights operates effectively, transparently, and in full alignment with European standards.
5. Urge the Delegation of the European Union in Skopje and the Embassies of EU Member States to play an active and coordinated role in addressing this issue with national authorities - not only as observers, but as partners in cultural and democratic reform. Their engagement and diplomatic encouragement are essential to ensure that the long-blocked collective right management process becomes a new vehicle for North Macedonia’s cultural development, economic growth, and European future.
6. Encourage all regional CMOs to continue their cooperation and solidarity, demonstrating that when we act together, we elevate not only our authors but the entire region’s cultural standing within Europe.

“A Europe that values its creators is a Europe that sustains its culture. The situation of AZAS transcends national boundaries - it reflects a shared European responsibility to uphold creators’ rights and ensure that no author is left without recognition or remuneration. By approving the AZAS tariff, North Macedonia would reaffirm its commitment to European values and demonstrate that creativity and culture stand at the heart of its path toward EU membership.” - Cécile Despringre, SAA Secretary General

Our common commitment

We, the undersigned organisations, hereby pledge to:

• Stand united in support and advocacy for the immediate resolution of the AZAS case;
• Promote knowledge exchange, cooperation, and transparency among regional CMOs;
• Advocate collectively for fair remuneration, effective legislation, and institutional accountability as the pillars of a strong and sustainable audiovisual ecosystem.

Signed in Skopje, 19 November 2025

• AFIDI - Association of Macedonian Film Distributors
• AIPA – Slovenia
• A-PRAVA – Montenegro
• AVAKA – Lithuania
• AZAS – North Macedonia
• DACIN SARA – Romania
• DAMA – Spain
• DHFA – Croatia
• EAAL - Estonia
• FAAD – Albania
• Film Centre of Montenegro
• Film Center Bitola
• FILMJUS – Hungary
• LITA – Slovakia
• North Macedonia Film Agency
• Patent Office of Estonia
• SAA – Society of Audiovisual Authors (European level)
• UFUS-AFA – Serbia
• UMPAKI - Union of Macedonian Professional Associations in the Creative Industries
• VAPIK – Kosovo
• ZAPA – Poland