CISAC's committees give guidance on the operational aspects of the organisation.

Executive Governance Committee (EGC)

The EGC is concerned with all financial, governance and membership matters. It is responsible for defining the Board’s agenda. In regards to its financial role, the EGC conducts a preliminary review of CISAC's budget and financial reports, and provides financial guidance.

Concerning its governance role, the EGC makes recommendations to the Board on membership application rules and standards, as well as on sanctions for Professional Rules and Binding Resolutions infringements. The Committee also develops the governance framework by monitoring adjustments to and the implementation of the CISAC Statutes.

The EGC aims to provide effective guidance to the Board on strategic business issues. The EGC has replaced a number of prior committees (Governance and Compliance Committee, Data Practices and Policy Committee, and Finance Committee), thus contributing to a simpler structure. An informal link between the EGC and the Global Policy Committee (GPC) exists to study strategic topics.

Global Policy Committee (GPC)

The GPC addresses and makes recommendations to the Board on international policy concerns including lobbying, policy advocacy and co-operation with other organisations. Among its priorities, the GPC is responsible for:

  • Formulating CISAC’s response to national legislative developments
  • Devising CISAC’s position in inter-governmental debates, such as in WIPO's various committees
  • Providing assistance to individual countries in responding to copyright initiatives
  • Publishing global policy positions on key issues in copyright and collective management.

In addition, the GPC coordinates with the Communications Expert Group (CEG) on matters related to the delivery and communication of global positions, as well as CISAC’s lobbying strategy.

Communications Experts Group (CEG)

The CEG is an advisory committee supporting CISAC’s communications work. It assists the Global Policy Committee (GPC) and implements its decisions on communications priorities.

The remit of the CEG encompasses topics related to public affairs and communications. Among its priorities, the CEG is responsible for:

  • Defining the need for and then creating and orchestrating communications campaigns
  • Advising the GPC on public affairs and communications initiatives
  • Sharing best practices on public affairs and communications matters, and advising the GPC and CISAC members with regard to these practices
  • Assisting individual societies with responses to copyright initiatives or ongoing dialogue with governments
  • Discussing and providing its opinion on matters referred to it by the GPC
  • Determining its Internal Rules

Legal Committee (CJL)

The CJL is an advisory statutory body that provides expert advice on copyright issues and litigation to CISAC member societies on a national and international level. It is one of the longest running committees of CISAC, operating since 1936 as the ‘Legislative Committee,’ before changing its name in 1967 to the ‘Legal Committee’.

It serves as a forum for exchanging information on legal developments in the area of copyright and collective management and providing updates on recent legislation and case law. The Legal Committee researches and analyses relevant legal information and provides legal opinion on matters relevant to the CISAC membership.

Internal Audit Committee (IAC)

A statutory advisory body, the Internal Audit Committee provides the General Assembly with a summary of financial reporting and internal control. Its duties include:

  • Inspecting accounts
  • Ensuring the completeness and reliability of financial accounting
  • Verifying the use of the income
  • Submitting a detailed report setting out its observations to each General Assembly no later than 30 days before the first day of each such General Assembly.