General information for authors of musical works
Membership of EAÜ is open to all authors of musical works and their heirs. The author shall have published at least one musical work of his/her own creation.
The EAÜ exercises the proprietary rights of authors of musical works in the following categories.
| Rights category | Method of use | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Public performance | Performance of a musical work in a place open to the public, either in a live performance or through technical means | Concerts and other live performances Background music in catering and accommodation establishments Film screening in a cinema |
| Transmission and retransmission | Transmission and retransmission of a musical work through technical means | Transmission and retransmission of a musical work via radio or television, cable, satellite, or other technical means |
| Making available to the public | Making a musical work available to the public in a way that enables people to listen to it on demand | Any online use, such as listening to music on Spotify and YouTube, and downloading services, such as downloading an album from iTunes Services that enable to watch and listen to TV and radio programmes on demand Video-on-demand services for watching movies and series |
| Reproduction | Recording and syncing of a musical work (combining sound and visual images) | Distribution of CDs and DVDs Recording of music for television programmes and audiovisual works (feature films, documentaries, etc.) |
By becoming a member of the EAÜ, the author (or the holder of the relevant rights, such as an heir) authorises the EAÜ to represent his/her proprietary rights. This means that, in the categories listed in the table above, the author no longer has the right to represent himself/herself or to conclude contracts. However, there are exceptions, such as the use of a work for non-commercial purposes.
The author and other right holders may change the scope of the categories of representation of proprietary rights, for example, they may opt out of the possibility to be represented by the EAÜ in the case of a public performance of the work. It is also up to the author to decide in which countries he/she is represented. If one of these rights is withdrawn from the EAÜ, the society will no longer collect or distribute the related royalties.
