Copyright royalties are a fee for authors, composers and publishers. They are entitled to this fee when their works are used in public. For example, if you use or show works by composers, writers, filmmakers,… at your event or in your business.

The Fair Remuneration, i.e. the banner under which neighbouring rights royalties are invoiced, is a fee for music producers, artists and musicians. They are entitled to this fee when their (music) recording is played in public. For example, if you play recorded music during an event or in the background in a bar, restaurant, hairdressing salon, shop, etc.

You only pay for the public use of music. Using music within the family circle obviously does not require a licence.

Keep in mind that music is an investment that pays for itself. Music influences how we feel and behave. By using music during your event or in your business, you create a pleasant atmosphere that attracts customers, influences their buying behaviour and increases the well-being of your staff.

Authors, composers, publishers, artists and producers invest time, energy and money in making music and other creative works. It is their livelihood. It is therefore only natural that they should be compensated for their work. That’s where copyright royalties and the Fair Remuneration come into play. Thanks to your contribution, these people have the financial leeway to continue to create works.

If you buy a CD or subscribe to a music service, you are obviously allowed to play this music in private whenever and as often as you want. The fee for authors, performing artists and music producers is included in the price you pay. However, if you play this music in your business or during your event (i.e. in public, in a commercial setting), then you have to pay an extra fee to Unisono.

Keep in mind that music is an investment that pays for itself. Music influences how we feel and behave. By using music during your event or in your business, you create a pleasant atmosphere that attracts customers, influences their buying behaviour and increases the well-being of your staff.

Music is available everywhere. Just think of radio, TV, music on audio and video media such as CDs or DVDs, digital music via downloads and streaming, etc.

The private use of these (legal) music sources (i.e. within the family) presents no problems.

But this doesn't mean that you can just use these music sources in your company.

An overview of the music sources that may or may not be used publicly in a company.

The use of the following permitted music programmes and service does not change the fact that you still need authorisation to share this music in public. More information on this authorisation can be found in the menu under 'Daily use'.

• Radio & TV

Most radio stations and TV channels have a copyright licence that allows them to legally broadcast their (music) programmes. That is definitely the case for the Belgian stations and channels, but also for those who broadcast from abroad. If you have any doubts, however, as to whether a particular radio or TV station has a valid licence, we will be happy to help you via our contact form or by telephone (+32 (0)2 / 286 82 11).

• Web radio

Various traditional radio stations and web radios offer the possibility of listening to music online via their website or to part of it via podcasts. This also no problem.

If you have any doubts, however, as to whether or not a particular web radio station is legal, we will be happy to help you via our contact form or by telephone (+32 (0)2 / 286 82 11).

• Music services for professional purposes

Music services are available specifically for catering establishments and the retail trade which offer music via an online web application. These providers have concluded an agreement with SABAM which gives them the copyright authorisation to supply music to your company.

A list of available providers with an agreement for professional use can be found here.

• Audio media and downloads: original versus copy

If you have a private music collection consisting of audio media (such as vinyl, CDs or DVDs) or legal downloads, then you are permitted to use this music in your company as long as they are originals and not copies. The annual licence that you as manager pay for the public use definitely cover i.a. the use of original audio media.

The copying of original audio media and downloads, on the other hand, is permitted only for strictly private use. This is stated accordingly on a CD or in the general terms and conditions when buying a download. The public use of copies is therefore not covered by the above-mentioned annual licence.

The original download or podcast is the first recording of this download: That is on the computer or smartphone with which the purchase or download is performed. This means that the making of a copy on another computer, external hard disk, smartphone, mp3 player, USB stick, CD-R, etc. is permitted only for strictly private use.

• What is not allowed?

There are various streaming services that offer music legally via subscription formulas, such as Spotify, Deezer, YouTube, Aupeo, Google Play Guvera, Microsoft Xbox Music, Mixcloud, Napster, Qobuz, Soundcloud and Tidal.

However, these services are only valid for strictly private use (B2C). As a result, places accessible to the public, such as shops, restaurants, cafés, cinemas or business premises may not use the streaming services mentioned above.

The existing agreements between Sabam and these providers limit the copyright permission to personal (private) and non-commercial use by the user of the streaming service. This restriction can be found in the general terms and conditions of use of the various streaming services.

If you do use them, you will have to pay a compensation fee of € 75 (+ 6% VAT), plus report and travel costs of € 125 (+ 21% VAT). Moreover, the payment of this fee does not permit the continued commercial use of this B2C streaming service. In the event of continued use, the amount of the fee will even double.

You will first receive two reminders. If you still don’t pay after these reminders, we will hand over your file to a bailiff. If that doesn’t work either, we will take legal action. Any legal costs will of course be borne by you.

Do you have a question or a problem? Or would you like to apply for an instalment plan? Then please contact us. This is a better option than doing nothing.

Unisono is the single platform that Sabam, PlayRight and SIMIM have set up together. From 1 January 2020, this platform allows you to take care of your use of music, theatre works, audiovisual works, etc. quickly and easily in one central location and with one single licence and payment.  

Unisono transfers the Fair Remuneration share to PlayRight (representing the performing artists) and SIMIM (representing the producers). They each receive 50% of that remuneration, after which they distribute these royalties to their members.

The share of copyright royalties is distributed by Sabam to its authors, composers and publishers.

Unisono offers you the following advantages:

• You can create a personal account via MyUnisono, our handy online registration tool;
• In addition to a licence for the use of music, you can also apply for a licence for a film screening, a theatre performance, a public lecture, a literary exhibition or the reproduction of a work of art;
• You can take care of everything with one licence and one payment;
• This way, you compensate all right holders in one go;
• On MyUnisono you can perform rate simulations without any obligation. This way, you won’t be faced with any surprises;
• We also keep things clear for you, as you can monitor the status of your files in real time via MyUnisono.

Yes, but you will only have to pay copyright royalties for the authors, composers and publishers. You will not have to pay the Fair Remuneration for the performing artists and music producers. You only have to pay the latter if you play recorded music in your business or during your event, not for live music.

This means that if you play recorded music before or after the performance by the music band, you will have to pay the Fair Remuneration.

You do not have to pay copyright royalties:

• if you are using music from the public domain.
• if you are using royalty-free music.

In this catalogue you can find out whether a musical work belongs to Sabam’s national or international repertoire.

Is the music recording less than 70 years old? Then you do have to pay the Fair Remuneration.

You do not have to pay the Fair Remuneration:

• if an artist, band or orchestra plays live music.
• if you use recorded music in a theatre production or film. However, you must ask the producer of that music for permission directly to use it in your production.
  Please note that this does not apply to music you play in the foyer or at the bar. Or music that you play before or after the film screening or theatre performance. For those types of use, you do have to pay the Fair Remuneration.

In these cases, you do have to pay copyright royalties.

Each invoice contains two separate items relating to the royalties that are due: one item for the copyright royalties and one for the Fair Remuneration.

The parameters on the basis of which the royalties due are calculated, are also shown on your invoice, as well as the VAT and, where applicable, any travel and assessment costs.

Finally, in the case of a licence for daily music use, your invoice will contain an extra line for the administrative costs.

Music from the public domain:

• music of which the authors and composers passed away more than 70 years ago;
• and of which the recording is more than 70 years old.

If both conditions are met, you don’t have to pay Unisono. If not, you will have to pay copyright royalties and/or the Fair Remuneration to Unisono.

We ask you to apply for your licence at least 5 days before the start of your event.

As far as the copyright royalties are concerned, this period is shorter than before. This is because we had to align a number of conditions of Sabam and the Fair Remuneration when Unisono was founded, in order to simplify things as much as possible for you.

Sabam represents authors, composers and publishers. These are so-called 'creative' artists because they create music, films, television programmes, theatre plays, works of art, books, etc. They are entitled to a fee when their works are used in public. This fee is called copyright royalties.

PlayRight represents actors and musicians. These are so-called ‘performing’ artists. Finally, SIMIM represents music producers. These are the people or companies that finance the original music recordings. Performers and music producers are also entitled to a fee when their (music) recording is played in public. For example, if you play recorded music during an event or in the background in a bar, restaurant, hairdressing salon, etc. This fee is called neighbouring rights royalties. They are invoiced under the banner of the Fair Remuneration. Until 2019, this fee was invoiced by Honebel (for the hospitality sector) and Outsourcing Partners (for the other sectors and for temporary activities), on behalf of PlayRight and SIMIM.

From 1 January 2020, you can take care of both copyright and neighbouring rights royalties through Unisono. Sabam will then distribute its share of the fee to the authors, composers and publishers, whereas PlayRight and SIMIM will distribute their share to the performing artists and music producers respectively. In this way you contribute to the remuneration of authors, composers, publishers, performing artists and music producers.

You can use existing film material provided that you have the written permission of the owner of the footage (production house, film producer, TV station,…). You have to contact the owner yourself.

You can easily do this via our website.

Once you have submitted your request, you will receive a confirmation email and an invoice with the fee for the remaining months of the year. Once we have received your payment, we will send you the DJ licence. The licence is valid until 31 December and will be renewed automatically afterwards.

You can stop your DJ licence at any time via the contact form.

The fee you pay for the DJ licence concerns neighbouring rights royalties. This is a remuneration for the owners of the recordings, i.e. the music producers, who are represented by SIMIM.

If we find out during an inspection that you are using copies but do not have a DJ licence, you can still apply for a DJ licence at that time and pay the annual fee.

If you do not wish to apply for a DJ licence, you risk having to pay damages amounting to twice the annual fee. In that case, you will also have to pay the transport and assessment costs (€ 125 + 21% VAT).

Normally you are only allowed to copy your own music collection for private use. With a DJ licence however, you may copy your music as part of your activities as a DJ. This concerns the neighbouring rights.

The organiser of a party needs a licence from Unisono because he plays music at a party. This concerns the performing rights and the Fair Remuneration for a so-called ‘communication to the public’.

Do you only use original CDs, records or original downloads? Then you don't need a licence. But if you use copies, a DJ licence is required (for example, if you burn a compilation CD).

An original download is the first recording of this download on a computer or smartphone. Making a copy on another computer, external hard disk, smartphone, MP3 player, USB stick, CD-R, etc. is only allowed for private use.

For a music DVD (e.g. recording of a concert), please submit your application for reproduction via eLicensing (FR version - NL version).

The collection amounts to 8% on the retail price (excl. VAT), with an absolute minimum of:

    - € 0.2576 for 2 works / max. 10 min.

    - € 0.3968 for 4 works / max. 20 min.

    - € 0.8312 for 18 works / max. 80 min.

If it concerns the reproduction of an audiovisual production containing musical works from the Sabam repertoire, you need a licence. Please provide us with the form ‘Licence application for the use of music in an audiovisual production’ FR - NL (for the sake of clarity: an audiovisual production has music in the background, whereas a music DVD has music in the foreground.)

The fee due corresponds to 3.5% of the wholesale price. We take into account the duration of the music in relation to the total duration of the film. However, it is important to note that a minimum fee of € 0.11 per copy applies (or per DVD if it concerns a box).

Are the director(s) and/or screenwriter(s) also affiliated to Sabam? Then you pay an additional fee that corresponds to 6.10% of the wholesale price (with a minimum fee of € 0.19 per copy or per DVD if it concerns a box).

Attention: we cannot decide whether or not you may use a certain track in an audiovisual work. You have to arrange this directly with the rightholders or their publisher and possibly the producer of the recording. You can look up the contact details of the rightholders via our website.

If you want to release a sound carrier (CD, DVD, record, etc.), you must first provide us with an application for reproduction. You can easily do this via MyUnisono (FR version - NL version).

After we have processed your application, we will send the ‘permission to press’ both to you and to the presser. However, the permission only becomes final after payment of the invoice.

The collection amounts to:

    - € 0.2576 for a single (2 works / max. 10min.)

    - € 0.3968 for a maxi single (4 works / max. 20min.)

    - € 0.8312 for an album (18 works / max. 80min.)
 

The rate is per copy and is increased by 6% VAT.

For your information:
Under ‘label’ you fill in the name of the music label. If you release the work yourself, you can choose any name you want. As far as Sabam is concerned, your label name has then been created and no further formalities need to be completed.

Under ‘catalogue number’ you enter the catalogue number of the release. A catalogue number is always ascending. If you self-release the work, please use an abbreviation of the label name and the numbers 01 for your first release.

Under ‘graphic reproduction’, please only tick ‘yes’ if you are using protected images on the cover of the work.

Be sure to take a look at our brochure for music on a sound carrier (FR - NL).  

Do you want to use a protected song in a video you made? In that case, you must first and foremost obtain permission from the publisher. Contact details for the publisher can be found in our catalogue.

Also keep in mind that in addition to the copyright (managed by an authors' society such as Sabam) there are also neighbouring rights (such as the rights of the producer who is responsible for the recording). If you want to make certain videos available on the Internet, the producers must grant you permission beforehand.

This is certainly possible, but you must first and foremost send us an application for reproduction. You can easily do this via MyUnisono (FR version - NL version).

The collection amounts to 8% on the retail price of the CD (excluding VAT), with an absolute minimum of:

    - € 60 per application for reproduction of singles (2 works / max. 10min.)

    - € 125 per application for reproduction of albums (18 works / max. 80min.)

The rate is per copy and is increased by 6% VAT.

It is also mandatory to attach a tamper-proof and non-reusable hologram to each CD-R.

This hologram costs € 0.09 each (incl. VAT) and will automatically be added to your invoice.

For your information:
Under ‘label’ you fill in the name of the music label. If you release the work yourself, you can choose any name you want. As far as Sabam is concerned, your label name has then been created and no further formalities need to be completed.

Under ‘catalogue number’ you enter the catalogue number of the release. A catalogue number is always ascending. If you self-release the work, please use an abbreviation of the label name and the numbers 01 for your first release.

Under ‘graphic reproduction’, please only tick ‘yes’ if you are using protected images on the cover of the work.

Be sure to take a look at our brochure for music on a sound carrier (FR - NL). 

In order to be allowed to use a song in a video, you must first request permission from the publisher of that song. Contact details for the publisher can be found in our catalogue.

Once that is done, you obviously want to share your video online as soon as possible. Please keep in mind that when you put something online, this constitutes a communication to the public, for which you will need a licence from Unisono and SIMIM.

You can apply for a licence via our online registration module MyUnisono (FR version - NL version). Here (FR - NL) you will find the rates for the use of music on a website.

Also keep in mind that in addition to the copyright (managed by an authors' society such as Sabam) there are also neighbouring rights (such as the rights of the producer who is responsible for the recording). If you want to make certain videos available on the Internet, the producers must grant you permission beforehand.

Are you an associate of Sabam and do we manage your rights? Then the mechanical reproduction rights have to be paid, even if you release your own works on a sound carrier (self-production).

You may however be eligible for a copyright exemption (limited to a maximum of 1000 copies per catalogue number) if you meet the conditions below. There is also an administrative cost of € 50 (+ 21% VAT) per licence application.

• the author(s)/composer(s) is/are 100% owner of all works on the sound carrier;
• the applicant may not be a legal entity (non-profit association, private limited company,...);
• the manufacturing costs are entirely at the expense of the author(s)/composer(s);
• the works may not have been published at the time of the application;
• Sabam has no obligation to the publisher if the works are published AFTER the self-released production. The author(s)/composer(s) is/are in that case directly liable to the publisher if the latter claims the copyrights for the pressing concerned;
• the exemption only applies to authors/composers who are members of Sabam;
• the application of the exemption must be explicitly requested.

Are you releasing a CD or record with songs that are not represented by Sabam according to you? Then please state this clearly on your licence application in MyUnisono (FR version - NL version) and ask the authors/composers involved to fill in and sign this document. Please attach this document to your application.

Even if Sabam does not represent the repertoire, you have to submit a licence application. We will then provide you and the presser with a ‘declaration of non-intervention’. This way the presser knows that he may produce the sound carriers.

Be sure to take a look at our brochure for music on a sound carrier (FR - NL).  

ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is an international identification system for sound recordings and music videos. It is a unique and permanent identification of a particular recording and can be encoded as a digital fingerprint in a publication of that recording.

Would you like to use an ISRC code? Then please contact SIMIM.

If you want to release a sound carrier (CD, DVD, record, etc.), you must first provide us with an application for reproduction. You can easily do this via MyUnisono (FR version - NL version).

After we have processed your application, we will send the ‘permission to press’ both to you and to the presser. However, the permission only becomes final after payment of the invoice.

For a CD:

The collection amounts to 8% on the retail price (excluding VAT), with an absolute minimum of:

    - € 0.2576 for a single (2 works / max. 10min.)

    - € 0.3968 for a maxi single (4 works / max. 20min.)

    - € 0.8312 for an album (18 works / max. 80min.)
 

For a vinyl record:

The collection amounts to 8% on the retail price of the record (excluding VAT), with an absolute minimum of:

    - € 0.4048 for a 45 rpm + EP

    - € 0.4144 for a 33 rpm LP

The rate is per copy and is increased by 6% VAT.

For your information:
Under ‘label’ you fill in the name of the music label. If you release the work yourself, you can choose any name you want. As far as Sabam is concerned, your label name has then been created and no further formalities need to be completed.

Under ‘catalogue number’ you enter the catalogue number of the release. A catalogue number is always ascending. If you self-release the work, please use an abbreviation of the label name and the numbers 01 for your first release.

Under ‘graphic reproduction’, please only tick ‘yes’ if you are using protected images on the cover of the work.

Be sure to take a look at our brochure for music on a sound carrier (FR - NL).  

If you want more information about a barcode, please contact GS1 (FR - NL).

If you want to duplicate repertoire of Sabam or of its sister societies, please contact an independent, recognised presser (FR - NL). 

Are you organising an event? Then you can apply for a licence via MyUnisono (FR version - NL version), our online registration module with which you can submit an application in just a few clicks. Don’t forget to do this at least 5 days in advance.

You can also consult our general terms and conditions and rates in Dutch or in French on our website. 

We will process your application for the event. If there is any information missing, we will contact you by mail. You will receive the invoice afterwards.

If you organise a free event (no entrance fee, no artist fee, no sponsorship and no commercial purposes) that is not advertised and that takes place within the family circle, in this case, you do not need to obtain a license from Unisono.

No problem. If you have submitted your application to Unisono, then the event may take place.

If you submitted your application via MyUnisono (FR version - NL version), you can follow the status of your application online.

Is there any information missing that we need for invoicing? Then we will contact you by mail. You will receive the invoice afterwards.

You do not have to pay any copyright royalties:

1. if the work is not part of the Sabam repertoire or of the repertoire of its sister societies;
2. if the work is part of the public domain.

In the second case, the surviving author of the work passed away more than seventy years ago. So we don't manage those works (anymore).

There is however one exception to this: an author or composer who creates an arrangement or adaptation of a work from the public domain. If that author or composer is himself a member of Sabam or of a foreign copyright society, we consider this arrangement or adaptation as a new work. And we will manage the rights for this new version.

As protected works will be communicated to the public, you will have to submit a licence application to Unisono.

If you already have a licence - as a catering manager - for audio equipment and want to temporarily install an audiovisual device, you can consult the possibilities in the rate for daily use (FR - NL).

If you are organising an event to broadcast television images, therate for sporadic use (FR - NL) applies.

When organising, for example, a party (rate for parties : FR - NL), the installation of a screen is included.

We recommend that you make your request via MyUnisono.

Unisono is obliged to always collect for the use of the repertoire of its members and that of its sister organisations.

After all, we cannot decide on their behalf what happens to their royalties. Therefore, we cannot grant an exemption or discount.

In most cases not because Sabam has already concluded a copyright licence with the main streaming platforms, including Facebook and YouTube. When you stream live via one of these platforms, you do not need to apply for a licence from us. The full list of platforms that are already licensed can be found here.

Please note that your initiative may not have a commercial purpose. If you ask a financial contribution from the viewers/listeners or if you pay a fee to the performing artists, then please apply for your licence at the usual streaming rates here.

 

You can find all rates on our website, both for daily use (FR - NL) and for events (FR - NL)

Or contact us via the contact form. Please don’t forget to specify your customer number as well as the invoice number.

For parties we work with a ‘blanket licence’. This means that you get permission to play all works from both the Sabam repertoire and from the repertoire of foreign copyright management organisations with which Sabam has entered into a reciprocal agreement.

If not a single performed song is part of the repertoire represented by Sabam, you do not have to pay any copyright royalties. However, that chance is small. Because together with its foreign colleagues Sabam manages more than 95 percent of the world repertoire. You can check here whether or not the music you use is represented by Sabam.

Keep in mind you will always have to pay the Fair Remuneration for the performing artists and the music producers of that music. After all, the Fair Remuneration is conceived as a ‘compulsory licence’: rightholders cannot object to the playing of their repertoire, but in exchange for this exception to their property rights, they are entitled to fair remuneration. So be sure to always apply for a licence via MyUnisono.

Yes, there are. According to the Code of Economic Law, there are three exceptions where the author cannot oppose a reproduction:

• When short fragments of works or complete works of visual art are communicated to the public in a report on current events.
• In the case of reproduction and public communication for advertising purposes, public exhibitions or public sales of artistic works, in so far as it is necessary for the promotion of those events.
• When a work is quoted for the purpose of criticism, polemics, reviews, education, or in the context of scientific works. However, you do have to state the source and the name of the author.

All exceptions must be interpreted restrictively.

Here you will find the list of countries with which Sabam had concluded a reciprocal agreement.

Yes, but only the author of the original work or his/her heirs can grant a royalty-free permission, not the copyright society.

No, unless the owner is also the author of the work. If this is not the case, he must obtain permission for the reproduction.

The reproduction right always remains in the hands of the author or his/her heirs, even if the original work is no longer in their possession.

It is sometimes said that you can reproduce extracts of works (music, films, texts, etc.) without permission as long as these extracts are not too long. That's not true.

There is a right to quote, but this is subject to certain conditions (see Article XI.189 §1 of the Code of Economic Law):

1. The quotation must be made in the context of criticism, polemics, reviews, education or scientific work.
2. The quotation must be justified in the context of the objective you have in mind. The extract should therefore not be longer than necessary to clarify what is to be explained.
3. The title of the work and the name of the author must be stated.
4. The quotation must come from a work that has already been made public. Quoting a work that an author has not yet wished to make public amounts to a violation of his/her right to disclosure.

Please make sure that the permission covers both copyright and any neighbouring rights (rights of producers, performing artists and broadcasting organisations).

And keep in mind that the rightholders have an exclusive right and are therefore free to impose their conditions.

The reproduction right constitutes copyright royalties collected for the reproduction of an existing work on different types of media (e.g. paper media such as a book, brochure, flyer, etc., internet pages, television images, merchandising,…).

If you are looking for a publisher, please contact one of the following associations:

For Dutch speakers:

Vlaamse Uitgeversvereniging (VUV) - Te Boelaerlei 37 - 2140 Borgerhout - Tel. 03/287.66.92 http://www.boek.be/   

For French speakers:  

Association des Editeurs Belges (ADEB) - Boulevard Lambermont 140/1 - 1030 Brussels - Tel. 02/241.65.80 http://www.adeb.be/

In order to reproduce a work of art, photo, text or poem, all you have to do is send us a completed licence application (FR - NL).

Broadcasters such as CNN and Sporza also play advertising, reports and music during, before or after their sports or news broadcasts, so these include works that are represented by Unisono.

Send us an e-mail with your customer number and the number of the invoice of which you want to receive a duplicate. You will receive a copy by e-mail a few days later.

 

You can apply for a licence via MyUnisono (FR version - NL version), our online registration module with which you can submit an application in just a few clicks. Don’t forget to do this at least 5 days in advance.

You can also consult our rates for events on our website. If you are looking for information on a particular tariff, you can find all of them here in Dutch or in French.

We will process your application for the event. If there is any information missing, we will contact you by mail. You will receive the invoice afterwards.

That depends on the type of change you want to make:

• Do you want to change the VAT number? Then we must stop the existing licence and create a new one with the new VAT number. Please provide us with the old and new number via our contact form and we will take care of it!
• Do you want to change your invoicing or contact details? Log in to MyUnisono and change your details quickly and easily via ‘My Profile’.
• Do you want to change the parameters of your licence (e.g. surface area, opening days,…)?You can change some parameters yourself. Log in to MyUnisono, click on ‘My declarations’ and then on ‘Contracts’. Click on ‘Update’ to go through your existing licence and adjust it where necessary. Confirm your changes by clicking on ‘Submit’.You cannot change the desired parameters yourself? Please send us your changes via our contact form, stating your customer or invoice number and we will take care of it!

If you have a subscription to a streaming service such as Tunify and DJ-Matic, you pay them for making their repertoire available. No more, no less. If you would only listen to this music in your private life, you would not have to pay any royalties to us.

However, because you play this music in a public place (e.g. in a shop, restaurant, café, cinema or business premises), you also have to pay performing royalties and the Fair Remuneration. These royalties must be arranged via Unisono.

Attention: you may not just use any streaming service in a public place. Streaming services such as Spotify, YouTube, Deezer, Simfy and Omnifone are only intended for personal and non-commercial use. This is clearly stated in their general terms and conditions of use.

Click here for a list of streaming services that have an agreement with Sabam and are therefore allowed to provide music to be played in public places.

Is your (hospitality) business operated for a maximum of one uninterrupted quarter throughout the calendar year? Then you only pay 50% of the annual amount as far as the copyright royalties are concerned.

Is your (hospitality) business operated for a maximum of one uninterrupted semester throughout the calendar year? Then you pay 75% of the annual amount as far as the copyright royalties are concerned.

Is your (hospitality) business closes for at least 3 full and consecutive months during the calendar year? Then you pay the annual amount divided by ten, multiplied by the number of months in which your business is open as far as the Fair Remuneration is concerned.

Liberal profession: do I have to pay copyright royalties and the Fair Remuneration when I play music in the waiting room of my practice?

You don’t have to pay the Fair Remuneration for playing music in your waiting room if you meet the following conditions:

1. You practise a liberal profession*;
2. The music can be heard through your intervention;
3. There is a relatively fixed patient or client base;
4. There are only a limited number of clients/patients present at the same time in the practice or waiting room;
5. You do not intend to make a profit by playing music.

If you meet all of these conditions, you are exempt from paying the Fair Remuneration. You will however always have to pay copyright royalties for playing music in your waiting room.

If you sell goods, there is no exemption. This means pharmacists, opticians, etc. do have to pay the Fair Remuneration for playing music.

* Definition of a liberal profession: The practitioner of a liberal profession is any company that carries out a professional activity in an intellectually independent manner that mainly consists of intellectual services, has received the required training, and is subject to a disciplinary body established by law, including dentists and physiotherapists.

There is a difference between the use of music in a public space (e.g. a shop) and in staff rooms (e.g. offices).

When using music in a public space, as a company you need a Unisono licence for daily music use. This licence covers the copyright royalties (for authors, composers and publishers) and the Fair Remuneration (for performing artists and producers).

The licence is linked to a location and the calculation is based on the surface area of that location.

When using music in staff rooms (non-public space), you need a Unisono licence for music in companies. This licence too covers both the copyright royalties and the neighbouring rights royalties, but only for music use in offices, workshops and warehouses to which only your employees have access.

A licence for music in companies is linked to your company number. The calculation is based on the total number of FTEs (full-time equivalents) on the social balance sheet of the year before invoicing.

Do you have a licence for music use in a public space as well as a licence for music use in staff rooms? Then you can apply for a special arrangement in certain cases.

Unisono’s aim is to grant licences for the repertoire:

• of the authors, represented by Sabam;
• of the performing artists, represented by PlayRight;
• and of the music producers, represented by Simim.

These three organisations represent the repertoires of their members and have concluded agreements with sister organisations abroad to also represent the rights of their members, and vice versa. This means that Unisono must also act on behalf of the members of other management organisations abroad. Unisono therefore does not only represent the repertoire of its Belgian members.

Playing foreign music in your business does not mean you don’t have to pay your Unisono invoice.