Soundreef-SIAE-LEA: an agreement for the copyright market in Italy

The copyright market in Italy, liberalized at the beginning of 2018 after almost 140 years of Monopoly, continues its journey towards optimization.

On April 10th Soundreef, SIAE and LEA reached an agreement with the aim to ensure, notwithstanding the competitive relationship between the parties, the smooth functioning of the new market for the benefit of users and right holders.

What is the agreement about?

Thanks to this settlement, Soundreef, SIAE and LEA agreed on a set of general rules such as:

– the definitive liberalization of the market (within the limits set by the Legislative Decree 35/2017);

– SIAE acknowledges the legitimacy of LEA – Liberi Editori Autori to collect copyright on behalf of Soundreef Ltd and its direct members;

– SIAE acknowledges that Italian music users will have to finalize a supplementary license with LEA (also on behalf of Soundreef Ltd) in case they play repertoires of the latter and therefore the payment of the SIAE license is no longer comprehensive with respect to the use of music;

– the fact that each management entity – whether it is established in the form of an organization for the independent management of the rights or in the form of an independent management entity – will exclusively manage the share of the copyright whose management was entrusted to such entity by the rightsholder, therefore excluding the application of any rule on the communion of rights on individual works and regardless of any possible understanding between publishers and authors;

SOUNDREEF LTD, LEA and SIAE following the agreement reached will discontinue all pending suits.

SIAE, SOUNDREEF LTD and LEA hope for such agreement to solve the problems that have arisen so far in the market and to guarantee a peaceful and fair competition in a crucial sector for the cultural and creative development of the country.

Industry technical communications

Furthermore, SIAE, Soundreef Ltd. and LEA have mutually committed to agreeing on a series of operating rules aimed at guaranteeing that users will be able to easily complete all the license agreements necessary to use the rights represented by the various societies.

1) Public performance

2) Radio & TV

3) DRM

Finally, the parties undertake to show in their contracts / permits / agreements that there are now other intermediaries entitled to directly grant licenses on behalf of represented rightsholders and repertoires.