SSA press release: 2016 at SSA - at a glance

To view the original press release on SSA's website, please click here.

More rights distributed thanks to lower commission rate – the year 2016 at SSA at a glance:

• Collections reached a record level of CHF 22,942,707.00 which corresponds to an increase of 0.92% compared to the previous year. This is a result of the increase in remuneration arising from mandatory collective management. In other categories, divergent developments could be observed.
• Expenditure could be reduced thanks to savings in certain areas by 4.3% (-CHF 146,000.00).
• SSA lowered the average commission rate for the fifth time in a row. In 2016, the rate was 12.75%, i.e. 0.31 percentage points, or 2.37% less than in the previous year. Over the last six years, the commission rate decreased by a total of 27.8%.
• SSA pays out remuneration to members and sister societies on a monthly basis. The amount SSA paid out increased by 5.31%.
• At the end of 2016, SSA had 2,999 members.
• SSA is excited about the conclusion of a framework agreement in the VoD sector with the umbrella organisations of Swiss cable network operators. This means a huge step forward with regards to copyright management in the digital economy.
• The consultation on the revision of the Swiss Copyright Act, launched in 2015, triggered a plethora of mainly negative statements and opinions. The working group AGUR was summoned by the Federal Council again. The results look promising, the review shows positive developments. As a result of the vehement opposition by creators, the intended quasi-nationalisation of collective management organisations is now not going to be introduced.
• A total of CHF 1,307,260.00 was spent for cultural purposes in 2016. Of the 475 authors who participated in competitions and programmes, 116 received a subsidy. 9 prizes were awarded during Swiss film festivals.
• Due to the collections made in 2016, CHF 1.217m could be paid into the cultural funds and around CHF 655,000 into the two social funds.

The complete annual report will be published in French and German at the beginning of June 2017. It will be available on our website. You may also join our mailing list by writing to mg@ssa.ch.