GVL Assembly of Shareholders and Delegates supports criticism on the draft for the new copyright law
The agenda items for the meeting of the 26-member governing body which consists of four Associates and 22 Delegates were, among others, the approval of the support projects for 2021, modifications of the Articles of Association as well as a critical debate regarding the draft version of the new copyright law. Representatives of orchestras, studio musicians, rock and pop bands and actors as well as thousands of independent producers of sound recordings and major labels are represented by the governing body which acts in the interests of more than 160,000 performers of a variety of categories.
In the meeting last Friday, all Delegates and Associates underlined the need for change of the draft for the new copyright law regarding upload platforms. Seen from GVL’s perspective, the draft fails to respect the principle that creatives and their partners must participate fairly in the economic profits arising from the use of their works and recordings. Instead, the platform liability is restricted to significant repertoires. This does not reflect European guidelines.
Detlev Tiemann, Chairman of the GuDV, says: “The current draft version of the law reverts the protection of the creatives and their partner into the opposite. As a representative of the GVL rights holders, we, the entire governing body, distance ourselves clearly from the current deliberations of the BMJV [Federal Ministry of Justice]. The threshold for petty amounts is an insult. Creative performances hold value from the very first second onwards; this must consequently be taken into account as such in the law.”
Traditionally, the Assembly has been deciding on the cultural-political grants for the following year in its November meetings: In total, the governing body has allocated 34 grant projects for 2021, among those support for OPUS Klassik, the VUT Indie Days and the German Actors’ Award which will see its 10th anniversary in 2021. You can access an overview of the supported initiatives and projects here.
In preparation for the Assembly of Rights Holders planned for 2021, the GuDV also agreed to the Articles of Association being amended. This will enable GVL to carry out a virtual event.
Guido Evers and Dr. Tilo Gerlach, Managing Directors of GVL, highlight in this context: “It was important to us to set the conditions now for a virtual Assembly of Rights Holders next year. Especially in times of corona, digital co-determination has a particularly high significance, also at GVL. We look forward to be able to welcome our rights holders from Germany and from all over the world at our virtual group assemblies.”
About GVL:
Those who render artistic performances or create the respective financial basis for the latter must receive money for the exploitation of their performances. GVL, the Gesellschaft zur Verwertung von Leistungsschutzrechten mbH, has made sure for more than 60 years that performing artists, producers of music and video recordings and event organisers are adequately paid for their creative performances.
GVL pays the fees it collects on a fiduciary basis from radio and TV stations for the public performance (e.g. in restaurants or cafés), among others, to its members in the form of a remuneration. More than 160,000 rights holders from all over the world have placed their trust in GVL - and thus make GVL one of the biggest collective management organisations for neighbouring rights globally.
Associates of GVL are the German Orchestra Association (DOV), the Federal Association of the Music Industry (BVMI), the Federal Acting Association (BFFS) and the Association of Independent Musicians and Music Companies (VUT).
You can obtain further image material here e.g. logos and portraits of the Managing Directors of GVL.