Building trust in the work of authors' societies–both from creators and users of creative works–is an essential goal for CISAC. Our objective is to provide the highest standards of operational excellence throughout our international network of member societies. To this aim, CISAC member societies abide by the organisation's Professional Rules and Binding Resolutions (Code of Conduct).

These rules help to guarantee smooth transactions within and between member societies, with creators and publishers, as well as with commercial content users.
They provide quantifiable criteria emphasising:

  • Transparency and efficiency
  • Impeccable service to creators
  • Fair licensing terms for users of artistic works
  • Accurate and timely distribution of royalties

Compliance to these rules has two main benefits. Firstly, it ensures seamless accurate licensing, collection and distribution processes throughout the collective management value chain, and secondly, it builds trust between industry partners, policy-makers and the public.

The system set up by CISAC aims at supporting collective management organisations (CMO) at an early stage of their development. Services provided by CISAC include legal advisory, governance, training, and technical assistance.

New Rules

Each year, we review our governance rules for the benefit of member societies.

In June 2013, CISAC's General Assembly endorsed new governance rules designed to promote:

Greater Financial Transparency

Our member societies are to provide a yearly description of their treatment and management of undistributed and unidentified royalties, as well as their financial and non-copyright income.

Stronger Corporate Governance

A new rule was adopted to strengthen societies' corporate decision processes by better defining the separation of management and supervisory bodies.

More Efficient Technical Protocols

Several new binding resolutions were adopted for music societies relating to debit and credit payment adjustments, unidentified uses, use of the International Repertoire (foreign works used in a society’s own territory), and attribution of ISWC to works managed by Mechanical Rights Organisations.

More Effective Compliance Reviews

To ensure the widespread respect of Professional Rules across its membership, CISAC has implemented a compliance monitoring process. A yearly random selection of societies is reviewed to check their compliance with the Professional Rules, with on-site visits by collective management experts.

Based on more than 5 years of experience, the process of monitoring compliance is being reviewed to increase its efficiency and provide lesser-developed societies with the support they need to achieve the standards that CISAC expects from its members.