The Agreement on General Tariffs has been signed

14.03.2018

After close to 5 years of negotiations between the Association for Collective Management of Rights APIK and Media, at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, today was signed the agreement on general tariffs to be paid by the media, namely televisions and radios, for the use of music as a copyrighted subject.

The four channels of Radio Television of Kosovo will pay the annual amount of 30 thousand Euros total fee to have the right to use broadcasting music. TVs with national frequence will pay 6000 Euros annual fee, regional televisions 1,200 euro annual fee, local TV 600 Euros, 2400 euro cable channels, other cable channels 1800 Euro, national radio stations 3,600 Euros, regional ones 720 euro, local radios 480 Euros, TVs and low power radios will pay 240, respectively 180 Euros.

Under the agreement, these amounts will be paid to the APIK association, which represents the local and foreign repertoire which is used in the territory of the Republic of Kosovo. The media are required to apply for permission to join the association. Materials can only be used on the basis of a broadcast license they possess from the Independent Media Commission. Any excess of competence or broadcast outside the license will be subject to copyright infringement and related rights.

Minister Kujtim Gashi said that with the signing of this agreement a new system is being created for the authors of songs and for their producers.

"The signing of the General Tariff Agreement on the amounts of compensation payable by the media, namely television and radio, for the use of music as a copyrighted subject and related rights, is a historic step for the country within creation of a functioning copyright system whereby authors, producers and performers under this agreement will be compensated for the use of their works by the media ",said Minister Gashi.

The Minister welcomed the signing of the agreement and considered it extremely important given the importance of protecting creativity and compensating the authors for their work.

"I, as Minister, from the beginning of the mandate have met representatives of the Associations and I asked for an agreement on the general tariffs for the use of copyright as soon as possible, and today I welcome the agreement on the music field and ask to continue with the agreement on general tariffs with other copyright users ", said among other things the minister.

Florent Boshnjaku, from the Association for Collective Rights Management, expressed his conviction that the agreement will affect the development of the music market.

"I think it is a great day for the whole country, because from today we are all beneficiaries of this process, even the media that have given their energy and the media, which on a daily basis help the work of artists, interpreters, producers, therefore, it is a mutual interest. I think that the beginning of this process will open many paths of the music market for media development to create a better and more professional system of work we do ", said Boshnjaku.

Meanwhile, Fazli Veliu, representative of the Kosovo Media Institute, said he hopes media will respect the deal.

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