Press releases

The Gesellschaft zur Verwertung von Leistungsschutzrechten held its first purely virtual Assembly of Rights Holders on 3 and 4 June 2021. Rights holders elected their 22 delegates via a specially set-up online portal for the next four years. GVL’s general management reported on the past election period, provided an outlook and answered questions of the rights holders.

The Gesellschaft zur Verwertung von Leistungsschutzrechten (GVL) continues its financial support to producers of sound recordings in the second year of the pandemic. Today, advance payments relating to the 2020 initial distribution which would ordinarily not take place before September this year have been launched. A total of EUR 41.9m is available in the form of payments on account. These payouts are made together with the subsequent distributions for sound recordings for the years 2017 to 2019.

On 13 November 2020, the GVL Assembly of Shareholders and Delegates (ASD) got together at its third meeting of the year.

The VUT, Association of Independent Music Entrepreneurs - is now the fourth shareholder of GVL, the Gesellschaft zur Verwertung von Leistungsschutzrechten mbH. Additional shareholders are the BVMI, the Bundesverband Musikindustrie e.V. [Federal Association of the Music Industry], the DOV, Deutsche Orchestervereinigung e.V. [German Orchestra Association] and the Bundesverband Schauspiel e.V. [Federal Association of Acting]. As a shareholder, the VUT is going to represent particularly the interests of independent music entrepreneurs in future. Its members include about 1,200 performers which are self-marketing, labels, publishers, distributors, producers etc.

At its ordinary Associates’ and Delegates’ Assembly on 16 June 2020, the Gesellschaft zur Verwertung von Leistungsschutzrechten mbH (GVL) presented its annual financial statements for 2019. Broadcasting remuneration remained GVL's largest source of income, closely followed by revenues from private copying. After special effects due to back payments in the previous years, GVL's income of EUR 215.5 million in 2019 still kept in line with expectations.

GVL has adopted an additional type of short-term assistance: Advance payments to GVL producers of sound recordings were launched today. At the same time, we are working at full speed on advance payments for performers.

With effect from 01/08/2019, the Bundesverband Schauspiel e.V. (Federal Acting Association, short: BFFS) has become the third associate of the German Neighbouring Rights’ Management Organisation (GVL). Previous associates of GVL have been the Bundesverband Musikindustrie e.V. (Federal Association of the Music Industry, short: BVMI) and the Deutsche Orchestervereinigung e.V. (German Orchestra Association, short: DOV). In its role as an associate, the BFFS is going to represent particularly the interests of actors and dubbing actors in future.

GVL collected approx. € 230m based on neighbouring rights for artists, producers and event organisers

The EU Parliament has voted in favour of the EU Copyright Law reform on 26 March 2019 and thus paved the way for a modern copyright where both users and creators benefit from fair regulations. GVL, the German Neighbouring Rights Society, welcomes this decision.

2017 financial results: GVL yields EURO 310m in collections for neighbouring rights on behalf of artists, producers and event organisers