Authors Right: Agreement Renews Focus on Copyright Compliance

Arenewed agreement between the collective copyright management organizations known by its French acronym as OGC and GECAM has been signed on Tuesday April 21. The document is expected to strengthen the way copyright rights are collected, while also improving understanding among businesses and other users. It places particular emphasis on the role of GECAM, who will work more effectively to guide member companies through the process of managing and paying authors’ rights. According to the president of the control committee of OGC, Prof Edimo François, defending authors’ interests remains at the core of the organizations’ mission. Alongside collection activities, there is also a duty to inform and raise awareness about the issues that may affect the business interests of members. He said the renewal of the convention aims to make the system more effective and better encapsulated, building on the previous agreement. According to the Executive Director of GECAM, Aline Valérie Mbono, support will include management and organizational assistance related to collecting the rights owed by member companies within the GECAM. To ensure the agreement is properly implemented, she highlighted the need for training and intermediation, especially in cases of difficulty, so that stakeholders can fully understand their responsibilities and obligations. Aline Valérie Mbono also mentioned that the objective of the renewed agreement is to improve conditions for artists by ensuring that the rights connected to their work are properly recognized and collected. She acknowledged that some users already pay voluntarily and...