Contract documents

If you want to assign the fiduciary management of your rights to us, you need to sign an agreement for the assignment and administration of rights. There is no charge for signing an agreement for the assignment and administration of rights with GVL - it's free.

Once you have concluded the contract, you will receive the access data for the producer portal label.gvl. You can enter your repertoire and state which rights you hold in the relevant recordings. GVL receives the necessary information on broadcasts from selected radio and TV stations and can allocated the played recordings based on your information provided in label.gvl. Based on the broadcast minutes of each recording, the relevant annual pay-out is based on the distributable amount available for producers of sound recordings.

We work closely with the German Music Archive (Deutsche Musikarchiv) which observes the statutory mandate to collect and store all music published in Germany.  We therefore gladly pass on the request that all labels should send the German Music Archive a set of two copies for each of their releases free of charge.

Registration Process

1. Please consult the checklist to compile all necessary documents and evidence for the conclusion of the representation agreement, e.g.: supporting documentation for your business (business registration or an excerpt from the companies' register), evidence of publication (sound recording is commercially available), a pressing plant invoice (evidence on quantity and time of production) plus evidence on the rights held by you and/or the relevant performers' agreements.
2. Please download the required application documents for signing an agreement for the assignment and administration of rights (see below).
3. For registration or deregistration of a label (optional) please use the label registration form. 
4. Please download the required application documents for signing an agreement for the assignment and administration of rights (see below).
5. Please send us the application documents by post. It is important that you complete and sign the agreement for the assignment and administration of rights and return it to us in duplicate. You should also enclose the form for additional details, the tax form and the form for bank details.
6. We then check the documentation you sent us. If the documentation provided by you is complete, we shall allocate a label code to you. This code serves as a uniquely identifiable indicator for your label.
7. The rights administration agreement is concluded when we return a copy of the rights administration agreement to you, countersigned by us.

I would like to sign an agreement for the assignment and administration of rights with GVL

Please complete and sign the following forms and return them to us in duplicate:

• Checklist producers of sound recordings
• German representation agreement for producers of sound recordings
• Please complete, sign and return this German version in duplicate. The Englisch version is only for your information: representation agreement for producers of sound recordings in English.
• Label registration
• Additional details producers of sound recordings
• Tax form producers of sound recordings
• Bank details producers of sound recordings

My company details have changed - how can I inform you?

When informing us of any changes to your company data, please do so in writing, with your signature. That way, we can assure that any important information and bank transfers reach their due recipients. Why not use one the following templates:

• Changes to company data – producers of sound recordings
• Tax form producers of sound recording

Do you wish to gain comprehensive insights on the income and administration cost structure at GVL?

Individual and general deductions from the collections arising from rights including the principles governing the deductions for offsetting administrative costs shall generally in accordance with the cause of the cost. Further details are currently in our annual report. Please have a lokk on our annual reports here. From 1 September each year, GVL will provide a comprehensive transparency report where you can read about all important information relating to collections and deductions.

Up to 5% of the revenue available for distribution may be used for cultural, politico-cultural and social purposes. Guidelines for politico-cultural allocations can be accessed here. Non-distributable collections from the rights will be dissolved and included in supplementary distributions on an accrual basis. Collections arising from rights shall be considered as non-distributable if the identity or whereabouts of the rightsholder could not be established within three years after the financial year has lapsed where the remuneration was collected for the relevant rights and if GVL had undertaken the necessary steps to establish the rightsholders.