Visual Artists Resale Right

CISAC promotes the interests of visual arts creators across all regions of the world, focused primarily on the artists’ resale right. This right guarantees a royalty to visual artists when their works are resold by an auction house or gallery, above a certain price.

CISAC, EVA (European Visual Artists) and GESAC (European Grouping of Societies of Authors and Composers) are coordinating the campaign for the right, supported by the larger visual arts societies such as ADAGP, BILDKUNST, DACS or VEGAP. The objective is to secure a universal treaty committing all countries to adopting the resale right. At present, some 80 countries have adopted it.

The campaign focuses on the UN intellectual property agency WIPO, and on key countries and major markets advancing or debating legislation (Argentina, Chile, Canada and China, for example) and also on Japan and the US. Thanks to these efforts, the resale right has been included since 2017 in WIPO’s SCCR working agenda. Task Force to discuss matters related has been created. CISAC ensured the participation of CMO representatives and within the task force. 

CISAC has held a number of highly successful events at WIPO's Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) to highlight the need for such treaty to WIPO Member State delegates.

Useful resources:

Download the Resale Right flyer in:

• English
• French
• Spanish
• Chinese

• The academic study by Sam Ricketson, a law professor at Melbourne University and a world-renowned copyright expert. The study, commissioned by CISAC, was presented by Professor Ricketson during the plenary session of the 33rd SCCR.