Authors’ unwaivable right to remuneration and collective management was first recognised in the early 1990s, with the directive on rental and lending rights and on cable and satellite (see our timeline of key EU directives). 30 years later, all European authors are fairly remunerated for when their works are shown on TV channels, copies are made for personal use on devices or media and films are watched on streaming platforms, right? No, unfortunately not.  

We are writing to you as a broad coalition of creators and rightholders active across the EU’s cultural and creative industries to reiterate our support for the aims of the AI Act and to encourage you to promote and oversee its effective and meaningful implementation.

The Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA) congratulates Poland on the implementation of the 2019 Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market and the Directive on Retransmission. After a long uphill battle, a historic milestone has finally been reached.

A brochure presenting the SAA and CMOs, aggregated collections and facts and figures on the audiovisual market. The brochure is accompanied by topic-specific cards with a brief background, some facts, and how Members of the European Parliament can help.

The SAA have sent a letter to Polish authorities about the draft law of 14 February 2024 implementation of the DSM Directive. The SAA raised its concern with regards to respect of the audiovisual authors’ remuneration for the on-demand/online uses of their works.

Today the EU Parliament passed a resolution addressing the urgent need for an EU framework aimed at improving the social and professional situation of artists and workers in the cultural and creative sectors and calling on the Member States that have not yet introduced a specific status for artists to do so. The SAA welcomes the Parliament’s call to improve the situation for professionals within the cultural and creative sectors, in particular authors’ fair remuneration and recognition of their authorsh

Artificial intelligence must serve society and enhance human creativity.

Authors and other creative professionals are the key actors in the creative value chains and deserve to be treated fairly. Their rights should be recognised and their contribution to society and the economy valued, writes EU Member States’ expert group in its recent report on the status of the artists. Their proposal, a legal status for artists and creative professionals is not a privilege nor an honorary title, it is a way to reduce social and economic disadvantages.

The adoption of the EU Directive 2019/790 on Copyright and Related Rights in the Digital Single Market (The Directive) was a great victory for authors after three years of intense negotiations and strong opposition from content sharing platforms like YouTube.

The ‘SatCab II’ Directive (EU) 2019/789, on copyright and related rights applicable to certain online transmissions of broadcasting organisations and retransmissions of television and radio programmes expanded the scope of the first Directive 93/83/EEC. It regulated retransmissions by other means than cable, direct injection and domestic retransmissions. What is the outcome of the implementation in the 24 Member States that have transposed the Directive so far?

On 1 March creators from Europe and Latin America came together with three international bodies representing authors’ rights to call for an unwaivable remuneration right and fairer payment for screenwriters and directors.

Audiovisual authors’ rights in Europe and Latin America, an online event with testimonies from audiovisual authors in Brazil, Chile, Poland, and Slovenia, and with experts from the Latin American Audiovisual Authors Societies Federation, SAA, and the International Confederation of Societies Authors and Composers.