International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers

The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers, commonly known as CISAC, is an international non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation representing the interests of creators and the collective management organisations that administer their rights. Its members include authors’ societies, copyright collecting societies, performance-rights organisations and other collective management organisations operating across music, audiovisual works, drama, literature and the visual arts. CISAC does not function as a conventional consumer-facing brand or rights owner: it coordinates and supports national and regional societies so that creators can be represented beyond their home territories and receive remuneration when their works are used internationally. CISAC was established in France in 1926 by 18 authors’ societies from 18 European countries. The founding network initially focused mainly on dramatic works and was organised around several specialised federations covering dramatic performing rights, public performance, mechanical rights, literary rights and film rights. In 1966, those federations were brought together into the unified confederation that became the modern CISAC. Its central mission has remained the development of an international system in which local societies license uses of creative works, collect royalties and distribute payments to the relevant right holders. A key operating mechanism is reciprocal representation. Through agreements supported by CISAC standards, a society in one country can represent the repertoire of a society in another country, while each society administers licensing and royalty collection in its own territory. This allows users such as broadcasters, venues and digital services to obtain access to broad repertoires through local licensing arrangements, while creators can benefit from uses of their works abroad. CISAC also develops professional rules, model agreements, governance guidance and information systems intended to improve transparency, data quality and the efficiency of royalty distribution. Since the 1990s, the organisation has placed increasing emphasis on international data exchange. Its Common Information System programme supports standards and identifiers for works and right holders, including the International Standard Musical Work Code, International Standard Audiovisual Number, International Standard Text Code, International Standard Name Identifier and the Interested Party Information system. CIS-Net, launched in 2004, provides an internet-based environment for exchanging musical-work information between societies, while the International Database for Audiovisual works has supported more consistent identification of audiovisual repertoires and rights ownership. CISAC also represents creators in international policy debates. It advocates for copyright and authors’ rights, participates in discussions involving the World Intellectual Property Organization and UNESCO, supports training and professional development, and campaigns on issues such as artists’ resale rights and the adaptation of collective management to digital exploitation. From 2007 to 2013 it organised the World Creators Summit, later associated with the World Copyright Summit, as a forum for creators, societies, technology companies, entertainment businesses, policymakers and other stakeholders. The organisation is governed through a General Assembly of member societies, an elected board and a secretariat. Its president and vice-presidents serve as public representatives of the creator community, while the director general manages the permanent administration. CISAC’s international headquarters are in Neuilly-sur-Seine, with regional offices serving Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and Asia-Pacific. The organisation is financed primarily through annual membership dues calculated with reference to members’ royalty collections. In 2024, CISAC reported 227 member societ…

CISAC was founded in France in 1926 by 18 authors’ societies from 18 European countries. The early organisation primarily represented dramatic creators and operated through five specialised federations dealing with dramatic performing rights, public performance, mechanical rights, literary rights and film rights. This structure reflected the way copyright administration was organised in the early twentieth century: creators formed national societies to license uses of their works, collect remuneration and distribute it to members, while an international body helped societies cooperate across borders. In 1966, the five federations were consolidated into the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers. The resulting organisation broadened its remit beyond drama to encompass music, audiovisual works, literature and visual arts. Its international role rests on cooperation among member societies. Through reciprocal representation agreements, a local society can license and administer foreign repertoires in its territory, while partner societies do the same elsewhere. CISAC develops model contracts and professional principles intended to make this system workable for creators, licensees and societies. From 1994 onward, CISAC placed substantial effort into improving the exchange of information about creative works, usage and ownership. Its Common Information System programme promoted international standards and identifiers, including the International Standard Musical Work Code, International Standard Audiovisual Number, International Standard Text Code, International Standard Name Identifier and the Interested Party Information system. CIS-Net powered by FastTrack, released in 2004, provided an internet-based network for exchanging musical-work data. CISAC also worked on an International Database for Audiovisual works and rights holders. These projects addressed a practical problem of collective management: royalties cannot be reliably allocated when works, contributors, publishers or ownership shares are recorded inconsistently. CISAC revised its statutes in 2004, establishing an annual General Assembly and a board of directors with stronger oversight responsibilities. The reforms also enabled the organisation to apply professional requirements to members and to devote more attention to direct creator involvement in rights advocacy. In 2008, CISAC adopted binding professional rules covering governance, financial administration, communications, rights management and information exchange. The rules were designed to promote consistent standards and greater transparency among member societies. The organisation’s public-policy role expanded alongside the growth of digital distribution. CISAC has advocated for copyright and authors’ rights in international forums, worked with the World Intellectual Property Organization and UNESCO, and participated in training and educational programmes for policymakers, judges and content users. It has also supported the international recognition of artists’ resale rights, working with European and visual-arts organisations to promote broader and more consistent protection for visual artists. CISAC organised the World Creators Summit from 2007 to 2013. The forum brought together creator representatives, collective-management organisations, technology companies, entertainment businesses, policymakers and consumer representatives to discuss copyright in the digital era. The organisation also broadened representation in its leadership: Robin Gibb served as president from 2007, was reappointed in 2010, and was followed by French electronic composer Jean Michel Jarre in 2013. Swedish songwriter Björn Ulvaeus became president in 2020. CISAC operates from its international headquarters in Neuilly-sur-Seine and maintains regional offices for European, Latin American and Caribbean, African and Asia-Pacific affairs. Its General Assembly is composed of delegates from member societies and elects the board and president. A secretariat led by the director general manages day-to-day work, while committees address legal, technical, regional, strategic and creative matters. As of 2024, the confederation reported 227 societies in 116 countries representing more than five million creators and publishers. Its members collected €13.1 billion in royalties in 2023. CISAC itself is funded primarily through membership dues, rather than by directly collecting the royalties administered by its members.

1. 2024Network reaches 227 societies

   CISAC reports 227 member societies in 116 countries, representing over five million creators and publishers.

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2. 2020Björn Ulvaeus becomes president

   The Swedish songwriter succeeds Jean Michel Jarre as CISAC president.

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3. 2013Vice-presidential representation expands

   CISAC creates four additional vice-presidential positions to broaden geographic and repertoire representation.

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4. 2008Professional rules are adopted

   Binding professional principles are introduced for member societies’ governance, financial management, rights administration and information exchange.

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5. 2007World Creators Summit begins

   CISAC starts a biennial international forum on copyright, technology and creators’ interests.

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6. 2004Statutory and information-system reforms

   CISAC revises its statutes and launches CIS-Net powered by FastTrack for online exchange of musical-work information.

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7. 1994Common Information System work begins

   CISAC begins developing international systems and standards for exchanging information about works and right holders.

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8. 1966Five federations are unified

   Specialised federations for dramatic, public-performance, mechanical, literary and film rights are brought together under the modern confederation.

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9. 1926CISAC is founded

   Eighteen European authors’ societies establish the organisation in France, initially with a strong focus on dramatic rights.

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An international coordination, standards and advocacy body for collective management organisations and creators’ rights.

• Common Information SystemRights-information infrastructure1994

  CISAC’s Common Information System is a framework for exchanging structured information about creative works, uses, contributors and rights ownership between collective management organisations. It supports international standards and identifiers such as ISWC, ISAN, ISTC, ISNI and the IPI system, helping societies match usage data with the appropriate creators and publishers and improve the accuracy and speed of royalty distribution.

• CIS-Net powered by FastTrackMusic repertoire information network2004

  An internet-based network for participating authors’ societies to share information about musical works and related rights. By improving cross-border access to repertoire data, the service supports reciprocal representation, licensing administration and the identification of right holders.

• International Database for Audiovisual worksAudiovisual rights database

  A CISAC information initiative focused on identifying audiovisual works and their relevant right holders. Its purpose is to help societies exchange reliable repertoire data and allocate remuneration for uses of films, television programmes and other audiovisual productions.

• Professional Rules and model agreementsCollective-management standards2008

  CISAC provides professional rules, reciprocal-representation principles and model contracts for member societies. These materials address governance, financial controls, communications, rights administration and data exchange, establishing a common operational baseline for an international network of otherwise independent organisations.

• 2014International authors’ rights advocacy with WIPO

  Global

  CISAC engaged with the World Intellectual Property Organization on projects intended to raise the visibility of creators and strengthen international copyright policy cooperation.

  Outcome. The initiative reinforced CISAC’s role as an international representative of creators and collective management organisations.

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• Artists’ resale right campaign

  International · with emphasis on Europe and visual-arts markets

  CISAC worked with European Visual Artists, GESAC and visual-arts societies to promote wider and more consistent implementation of an artists’ resale right, under which eligible artists can receive remuneration when their works are resold.

  Outcome. The campaign continued to support international recognition of resale rights and reform of perceived gaps in existing copyright protection.

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• 2013Leadership representation is broadenedStrategy

  CISAC sought to reflect more territories and artistic repertoires in its public leadership.

  What changed. The organisation expanded the vice-presidency to four additional positions representing creators from different regions and disciplines.

  Aftermath. The leadership model offered broader geographic and repertoire representation in CISAC’s advocacy work.

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• 2008Professional rules become binding for membersStrategy

  Differences in governance, administration and data practices could complicate international collective management and royalty distribution.

  What changed. CISAC adopted professional rules covering governance, financial management, communications, rights administration and information exchange.

  Aftermath. The rules established common expectations for member societies and were presented as a transparency and professionalism measure.

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• 2004Statutes are revised to strengthen governanceStrategy

  CISAC sought a clearer annual governance cycle and stronger oversight of its international network.

  What changed. The organisation created an annual General Assembly and a board of directors, while strengthening its ability to establish rules for member societies.

  Aftermath. The revised structure gave member societies a more formal role in oversight and enabled later professional-rule reforms.

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• 2024CISAC reports €13.1 billion collected by member societies in 2023

  CISAC reported that its member societies collected €13.1 billion in royalties in 2023 and that the confederation represented 227 societies in 116 countries.

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• 2024CISAC membership reaches 227 societies in 116 countries

  The organisation described its network as representing more than five million creators and publishers across multiple artistic repertoires.

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• 2020Björn Ulvaeus appointed CISAC president

  The Swedish songwriter was appointed to represent the international creator community and promote collective management.

  Leadership change
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• 2007CISAC elects Robin Gibb as president

  The Bee Gees singer-songwriter became president, with Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón serving as vice-president.

  Leadership change
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1. CISAC official website
2. CISAC About
3. CISAC Governance
4. CISAC Information Services
5. CISAC Professional Rules
6. Wikipedia: Confédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Auteurs et Compositeurs
7. Björn Ulvaeus becomes president
8. Artists’ resale right campaign
9. CISAC报告2023年成员协会征收131亿欧元