What is a copyright collective?
A copyright collective provides one-stop service for managing the rights of authors and their publishers. Copyright collectives are sometimes referred to as licensing agencies, collective societies or reproduction rights organizations. As a copyright collective, Copibec helps users get permission to use thousands of works while ensuring that copyright owners receive compensation.
Why manage rights collectively?
In general, permission must be given by the copyright owner before content can be used. That requirement is specified in section 3(1) of Canada's Copyright Act.
Managing rights individually can be too complex and take too much time and effort in relation to the expected earnings. That's why copyright owners often decide to join forces in copyright collectives so they can defend and manage their rights more effectively and allow easier access to their content. Copyright collectives also play a role in providing relevant information and enhancing awareness about copyright.
What does a copyright collective do?
Here's what copyright collectives do on a day-to-day basis:
Negotiate agreements with user groups and individual users
Respond to dozens of requests to use content
Analyze thousands of user log entries
Collect royalties for content use and redistribute them to authors and publishers
Ensure compliance with existing agreements
Enhance awareness about copyright compliance
Inform the public about copyright
Give free answers to dozens of questions about intellectual property, content, authors and publishers
In other words, a copyright collective makes it possible to collectively manage the rights of a large number of authors and publishers. That way, users can benefit from one-stop service when they want to get the necessary permissions to use thousands of texts, illustrations, photos, etc. Instead of having to contact many different parties, users can deal with a single organization. This greatly simplifies copyright management and streamlines the process while ensuring that royalties are paid and legal permission is obtained.
Different rights, different organizations
Reflecting the wide-ranging scope of copyright and the vast array of creative content, there are a number of organizations across Canada that manage the various types of copyright, including the rights for music and theatre performances. If you're not sure which organization to contact for permission or where to go for answers to your questions, refer to our Who to contact section.
Copibec's repertoire is international
Copibec is a member of the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations (IFRRO). In addition to managing the rights for Quebec content, we have signed agreements with other organizations in countries all over the world, giving us authority to manage the rights for content in an international repertoire (catalogue). Users who have an agreement with us therefore enjoy access to millions of books, magazines and newspapers.
Reciprocal agreements have been concluded between Copibec and the following organizations:
South Africa / Dramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation (DALRO)
Germany / VG Wort
Argentina / Centro de Administración de Derechos Reprográficos (CADRA)
Australia / Copyright Agency Limited (CAL)
Belgium / REPROBEL
Brasil / Associação Brasileira De Direitos Reprográficos (ABDR)
Canada / Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright)
Korea / Korea Reproduction and Transmission Rights Association
Danemark / Copy-Dan
Spain / Centro Espanol de Derechos Reprogràficos (CEDRO)
United States of America / Copyright Clearance Center (CCC)
France / Centre français d'exploitation du droit de copie (CFC)
Greece / The Greek Collecting Society for Literary Works (OSDEL)
Hong Kong / Hong Kong Reprographic Rights Licensing Society (HKRRLS)
Irelande / The Irish Copyright Licensing Agency, Ltd. (ICLA)
Iceland / Fjölís
Italy / Associazione Italiana per i Diritti di Riproduzione delle Opere dell'ingegno (AIDRO)
Italy / Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori (SIAE)
Mauritius / Mauritius Rights Management Society (MRMS)
Jamaica / JAMCOPY, Jamaican Copyright Licensing Agency
Japan / Japan Academic Association for Copyright Clearance
Mexico / Centro Mexicano de Protección y Fomento a los Derechos de Autor, SGC (CeMPro)
Norway / Kopinor
New Zealand / Copyright Licensing Ltd (CLL)
Low Countries / Stichting Reprorecht (SR)
United Kingdom / The Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) et Newspaper Licensing Agency
Singapore / The Copyright Licensing & Administration Society of Singapore Limited (CLASS)
Switzerland and Principality of Liechtenstein / Pro Litteris