Hengeler Mueller advises the National Organisation of Music Promoters (BVMV) in respect of the GEMA tariff reform and the conclusion of the GEMA collective agreement

27. December 2012

In March this year, the collecting society of music authors GEMA announced its so-called tariff reform, which led to vehement public protests. All events in clubs, discotheques, music bars, hotels and restaurants, dancing schools, vaudeville locations, cabarets, circuses as well as city and street festivals are affected by this tariff reform. On 20 December 2012, GEMA and the National Organisation of Music Promoters (Bundesvereinigung der Musikveranstalter - BVMV) agreed on a new collective agreement for 2013. Part of the agreement is the suspension of the tariff reform until 2014 to await the outcome of the proceedings currently pending before the Arbitration Panel of the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA), a one-time increase of the remuneration as well as the abandoning of the copying surcharge imposed for the use of laptops. In addition, the collective agreement governs other forms of public performance and broadcasting of music such as background music in bars, restaurants and retail shops as well as TV broadcasting in hotels.

The National Organisation of Music Promoters (BVMV) is the largest user association in Germany with approximately 150,000 member companies. Among its member associations are, inter alia, DEHOGA the German hotel and restaurant association, the federal association of German discotheques and dance Halls (BDT), the German retail federation (HDE), the European association of event centres (EVVC) and the International association of show and entertainment arts (IFSU).

Hengeler Mueller advises the National Organisation of Music Promoters (BVMV). The Hengeler Mueller team is led by partner Albrecht Conrad (Copyright, Berlin) and includes partners Wolfgang Spoerr (Copyright, Berling) and Christoph Stadler (Competition, Düsseldorf) as well as associates Fabian Seip and Matthias Berberich (both Copyright, Berlin).

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