WIPO to consider CISAC-supported proposal for new study on audiovisual creators’ remuneration

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A proposal backed by CISAC and sister organisations has been formally submitted to the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), calling for an independent legal and economic study into the remuneration of audiovisual creators.  The proposal has been accepted for consideration by WIPO and is an important step forward in CISAC’s ongoing global campaign for fair remuneration for screenwriters and directors.

The study would look at the legal frameworks in place internationally and whether they should be reassessed to ensure the protection of audiovisual authors, with a focus on the evolving digital marketplace.

The "Proposal for a Study on the Rights of Audiovisual Authors and their Remuneration for the Exploitation of their Works", now available on WIPO’s website, was submitted to the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) by the delegation of Côte d’Ivoire 2023 WIPO SCCR plenary held in Geneva. The proposal was put together with guidance from CISAC and the Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA).

CISAC has previously published case studies on legislative frameworks in Latin America, Spain, Italy, and Poland. These highlight a number of countries in Latin America and Europe where the legal environment provides strong protection for audiovisual authors. As evidenced in the case studies, remuneration rights have generated positive externalities in the market in terms of growth of audiovisual productions and exports, increase of box office revenues and relevant investments by video streaming platforms.

Screenwriters and directors are vital contributors in the creative chain yet, in most countries, they are not granted an unwaivable right of remuneration for their works and in some, are not even recognised as authors of their works and therefore are not entitled to any legal protection.

The new proposed study, if launched, would look at the impact of global legal frameworks on the rights and remuneration of audiovisual creators. It would focus on effective legal regimes globally, identifying solutions to ensure fair remuneration for audiovisual authors. It will be discussed further at the SCCR plenary in 2024.

CISAC will continue to work with member states and the WIPO Secretariat in support of the initiative. The new proposal will contribute significantly to global discussions on fair remuneration and legal protection in the evolving landscape of the audiovisual industry.