{"id":28719,"date":"2025-10-08T13:39:26","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T11:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kpw.law\/?post_type=topic&p=28719"},"modified":"2026-04-05T19:17:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T17:17:34","slug":"what-are-collecting-societies","status":"publish","type":"topic","link":"https:\/\/kpw.law\/en\/topics\/what-are-collecting-societies\/","title":{"rendered":"What are collecting societies?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Background knowledge<\/p>\n\n\n\r\n

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in Germany.<\/p>\n\n<\/div> \r\n<\/h1><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Collecting societies in Germany: guardians of intellectual property<\/h2>\n\n

Collecting societies are a central element of the German copyright system<\/a>. They act as intermediaries between creators and the users of their works. This ensures that authors are appropriately remunerated for the use of their intellectual creations. But what exactly are collecting societies, which ones exist in Germany and how does the system work? <\/p>\n\n

What are collecting societies?<\/h2>\n\n

Collecting societies are associations of authors, publishers and holders of ancillary copyrights organized under private law. They administer the laws of their members on a fiduciary basis and collectively enforce copyright claims<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n

Private copying remuneration: a tried and tested system<\/h2>\n\n

There is a system of private copying remuneration in Germany. This system dates back to the 1960s, when the mass reproduction of music using magnetic tapes became possible. <\/p>\n\n

The basic idea is simple: according to copyright law, so-called private copies are permitted, but must be remunerated. This is done, for example, via device levies. This remuneration is collected by the Central Office for Private Copying Rights (ZP\u00dc) and distributed to the collecting societies. <\/p>\n\n

How does the system work?<\/h2>\n\n

Collecting societies collect money on behalf of their members – the rightholders – and redistribute it. They are granted copyrights by their rightholders, which each and every creative person would otherwise have to claim individually. <\/p>\n\n

The collecting societies act as trustees. This means that they manage the laws of their members and ensure that the claims are enforced. <\/p>\n\n

The money collected is paid to the members of the collecting societies according to predetermined keys after deduction of the administrative costs. These distribution keys are developed by the collecting societies themselves and must be communicated transparently. <\/p>\n\n

Basic tasks of collecting societies<\/h2>\n\n

The main tasks of collecting societies include<\/p>\n\n