General rate
Music at the workplace
If your company, association or public service uses music in the workplace, you have to apply for a Unisono licence.
Music at the workplace
If your company, association or public service uses music in the workplace, you have to apply for a Unisono licence.
Want to apply for a licence?
Apply for your licence now via MyUnisono.
The law defines ‘workplace’ as any place where work is performed, irrespective of whether this place is inside or outside the company, association or public service and irrespective of whether or not this place is in a closed area.
The rate is determined per legal entity at the level of the company, association or public service, and is based on the number of FTEs (full-time equivalents). You will find this figure in the non-consolidated balance sheet of the reference year -1.
As far as the Fair Remuneration is concerned, it is possible to opt for a different calculation method (Art. 10 RD of 8/07/2018 concerning the Fair Remuneration):
If the number of FTEs stated in the social balance sheet does not correspond to the actual number of FTEs that is able to listen to music at the workplace, the employer must be able to sufficiently substantiate this actual number of FTEs.
The amount of the Fair Remuneration will be increased by 25% in this case.
Companies, associations or public services with less than 9 FTEs in their social balance sheet do not have to pay these rates.
|
Number FTE social balance 31.12.2023 |
COPYRIGHTS consumer price index 129,45 |
FAIR REMUNERATION consumer price index 129,45 |
|---|---|---|
| 9 to 10 | 152,28 € | 113,81 € |
| 11 to 25 | 274,07 € | 227,61 € |
| 26 to 50 | 527,86 € | 455,22 € |
| 51 to 100 | 588,75 € | 682,82 € |
| 101 to 200 | 1.116,62 € | 910,42 € |
| 201 to 500 | 2.334,64 € | 1.138,03 € |
| 501 to 1000 | 3.288,90 € | 1.365,65 € |
| Each additional 100 FTE | 253,78 € | 159,32 € |
Company restaurants or canteens
Do you regularly use music in the restaurants or canteens of the company, association or public service, or in the areas that are used as such? Then you need to apply for a Unisono licence.
In this case, the method for calculating the copyright royalties and the Fair Remuneration is not the same, however the calculation basis is, i.e. the number of square metres of space used. Each area or space in the company is charged separately.
Concerning the copyright royalties, we make a distinction between an audio (only music) or an audiovisual rendering (image and music: e.g. TV). As far as the Fair Remuneration is concerned, there are only rates for audio rendering.
Companies, associations or public services with less than 9 FTEs in their social balance sheet do not have to pay these rates.
| Sonorized surface | COPYRIGHT ROYALTIES consumer price index 129,45 |
|---|---|
| Up to 25m² | |
|
288,21 € |
| from 25,01m² to 50m² | |
|
402,31 € |
| from 50,01m² to 100m² | |
|
536,41 € |
Surcharge:
If the surface is larger than 100 m², the basic amount will be increased by 25% per commenced tranche of 100m² .
| Surface | FAIR REMUNERATION consumer price index 129,45 |
|
|---|---|---|
| from | to | |
| 0,01m² | 100m² | 177,81 € |
| 101m² | 200m² | 220,49 € |
| 201m² | 300m² | 263,16 € |
| 301m² | 400m² | 305,84 € |
| 401m² | 500 | 348,51 € |
| Each additional 100 m² | 42,67 € | |
Combination rate
If a company, association or public service plays music both in the workplace and in the company restaurants or canteens or in areas that are used as such, then you can apply for one single Unisono licence for both types of music at an interesting combination rate.
This rate is calculated based on the number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) in the company, association or public service. The number of FTEs is the number that is reported in the social balance sheet of the company, association or public service.
As far as the Fair Remuneration is concerned, it is possible to opt for a different calculation method (Art. 10 RD of 8/07/2018 concerning the Fair Remuneration):
If the number of FTEs stated in the social balance sheet does not correspond to the actual number of FTEs that is able to listen to music both in the workplace and in the company restaurants or canteens or in areas that are used as such, then the employer must be able to sufficiently substantiate this actual number of FTEs.
The amount of the Fair Remuneration will be increased by 25% in this case.
Companies, associations or public services with less than 9 FTEs in their social balance sheet do not have to pay these rates.
|
Number FTE social balance 31.12.2023 |
COPYRIGHTS consumer price index 129,45 |
FAIR REMUNERATION consumer price index 129,45 |
| 9 to 10 | 355,27 € | 201,95 € |
| 11 to 25 | 456,81 € | 346,21 € |
| 26 to 50 | 791,76 € | 646,24 € |
| 51 to 100 | 954,19 € | 900,12 € |
| 101 to 200 | 1.522,63 € | 1.200,16 € |
| 201 to 500 | 2.537,72 € | 1.500,21 € |
| 501 to 1000 | 3.755,84 € | 1.800,24 € |
| Each additional 100 FTE | 609,05 € | 207,11 € |
For all previous rates (music in the workplace, music in company restaurants or the combination of both), the following maximum amounts apply:
|
Copyright royalties |
14.210,86 € (excl. VAT) |
| Copyright royalties (group registration) | 21.323,55 € (excl. VAT) |
| Fair Remuneration | 7.112,69 € (excl. VAT) |
This means that a company - irrespective of its size - will never have to pay more than these maximum amounts for the use of music in the workplace, in company restaurants or both.
All of the following rates (staff parties, hold music and website background music) are not included in the maximum amounts.
Staff parties
Companies, associations or public services regularly organise parties or celebrations exclusively for the employees and their close relatives, such as anniversaries and retirement and annual staff parties. Unisono allows you to take care of the copyright royalties and the Fair Remuneration through one single annual licence.
The events covered by this licence must meet all of the following conditions:
- The event takes place in the areas or on the premises (e.g. car park) of the company, association or public service (intra muros).
- The event is intended exclusively for staff members and their close relatives (partners of staff members and first-degree relatives).
- Admission to the event is free.
- There is no live music (live performances).
Attention:
Events that do NOT meet the above conditions are not covered by the annual Unisono licence. For such events, please apply for a separate licence via MyUnisono and select the option 'Organise an event'. The rate is determined per legal entity at the level of the company, association or public service.
Concerning the copyright royalties, the calculation basis is the number of full-time equivalents (FTEs). This figure is always shown on the non-consolidated balance sheet of the reference year -1.
As far as the Fair Remuneration is concerned, it is possible to opt for a different calculation method (Art. 10 RD of 8/07/2018 concerning the Fair Remuneration):
If the number of FTEs stated in the social balance sheet does not correspond to the actual number of FTEs that is able to listen to music both in the workplace and in the company restaurants or canteens or in areas that are used as such, then the employer must be able to sufficiently substantiate this actual number of FTEs.
The amount of the Fair Remuneration will be increased by 25% in this case.
Companies, associations or public services with less than 9 FTEs in their social balance sheet do not have to pay these rates.
|
Number FTE social balance 31.12.2023 |
COPYRIGHTS consumer price index 129,45 |
FAIR REMUNERATION consumer price index 129,45 |
| 9 to 10 | 101,50 € | 85,35 € |
| 11 to 25 | 203,02 € | 120,92 € |
| 26 to 50 | 304,53 € | 227,61 € |
| 51 to 100 | 406,04 € | 369,85 € |
| 101 to 200 | 659,80 € | 512,12 € |
| 201 to 500 | 1.268,87 € | 1.223,39 € |
| 501 to 1000 | 1.827,16 € | 2.361,42 € |
| Each additional 100 FTE | 253,78 € | 213,38 € |