About us - SCAPR - Collective Management of Performers’ Rights

What we do

SCAPR, the Societies’ Council for the Collective Management of Performers’ Rights is a not for profit organisation founded in 1986.

We are based in Brussels, Belgium.

OUR MISSION

We provide numerous services and tools to our CMOs’ community to improve the exchange of data and performers’ rights across borders. Our job is to facilitate the seamless flow of performers’ remuneration beyond national frontiers.

Our role is to foster collaboration and provide the tools, platforms, and expertise necessary for our members to exchange information and remuneration efficiently, transparently, and with precision. By doing so, we enable our members to focus on their mission of supporting performers and upholding their creative contributions worldwide.

We give our members access to:

An international network of CMOs
Working groups and workshops
In-house Information
Systems for the identification of performers, sound recordings and audio-visual works.
Legal and standard documentation
Support with daily operations

We also offer a range of services tailored for non-members. Feel free to reach out to us for more information!

Why do CMOs appreciate our services ?

They are part of a worldwide community
We are a rich and diverse network of CMOs sharing know-how, good practices, and insight to facilitate and enhance their activities. We gather organizations across the world reflecting a rich diversity of cultures and practices.
Together we are stronger
We are a facilitator: our job is to help our members exchange efficiently performers’ remuneration.
We have developed our own information systems which streamline CMOs’ work: they allow a better identification of performers and the repertoire they have contributed to.

- Our identifier for performers, called the International Performer Number (IPN), is a
  unique identifier that allows unequivocal and easier identification of the performers. It is recognized as the global authoritative identifier for performers and is embedded in the International Performer Database (IPD).

- VRDB (The Virtual Recording Database) identifies sound recordings and audio visual works, and allows CMOs to share their playlist.
  The combined use of both allows SCAPR CMOs to exchange data and transfer remuneration to ensure all performers receive the remuneration they deserve.

These tools fall under the supervision of a dedicated Database Committee (DC).

SCAPR has developed other tools for non member CMOs and third parties evolving in the neighbouring rights industry: the IPN Search APP & IPN Creation.

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

General Assembly

SCAPR is owned and controlled by its members, represented in SCAPR central body, the General Assembly. The General Assembly meets once a year and takes all the main decisions regarding the activities and strategy carried out by SCAPR and submitted by the SCAPR Board.

1 Ordinary Member = 1 Vote : Each SCAPR Ordinary Member holds one vote, thus ensuring equal influence in decision-making and the ability to shape the future of SCAPR activities.

Board members

The Board is composed of 12 representatives of SCAPR Ordinary Members, elected by the General Assembly for a 4 year-term. They are in charge of the definition and implementation of SCAPR strategy, in accordance with the SCAPR Statutes and the Mission Statement. They report to the General Assembly.

With their diverse expertise and international perspectives, Board members bring a global and inclusive approach to fulfilling their responsibilities and advancing SCAPR’s mission.

Database Committee

The Databases Committee (DC) is dedicated to ensuring that SCAPR’s tools enhance the efficiency of CMOs in managing performers’ rights and to overseeing database usage in order to maintain general coherence across these tools and systems.

The DC maintains a strategic, big-picture perspective as it reports to the Board on ongoing projects and addresses any technical challenges that could impact cross-border payments among SCAPR members, ensuring that SCAPR’s database development remains aligned with SCAPR’s core mission and principles.

The committee brings together a diverse group of experts, including 3 SCAPR Board members, 6 members’ societies, and 2 representatives from the SCAPR Secretariat.

The SCAPR Secretariat

SCAPR Secretariat is composed of professionals from different backgrounds and areas of expertise, in order to provide a comprehensive and customized support to SCAPR members.

Our Partners

SCAPR’s mission thrives on strong partnerships with other international federations, fostering collaboration to achieve a unified approach and a truly global impact.

These cooperations take many forms such as:

participation in conferences, projects and trainings
joint support to CMOs
operational and technical cooperation

Amongst SCAPR partners:

the World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO):

WIPO has been a valued partner of SCAPR for many years. We are regularly involved in many initiatives (conferences, seminars, working groups) and fora under WIPO’s supervision.

Since 2021, SCAPR is part of the Advisory Board of WIPO For Creators.

Since 2022, SCAPR is Permanent Observer at the WIPO Standing Committee for Copyright and Related Rights.

In 2023, SCAPR and WIPO have signed an agreement to allow CMOs using WIPO Connect to enrich their local database with SCAPR’s IPNs.

other international and regional federations:

To foster cooperation in all parts of the world, SCAPR engages with regional federations such as the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), the iberico-latino american federation of music performers (FILAIE), the iberico-latino american federation of audiovisual performers (Latin Artis) and AEPO ARTIS, the European federation of performers CMOs. Where interests converge, SCAPR actively collaborates with other rightsholders federations, such as the authors’ CMOs federation (CISAC), the music producers federation (IFPI), the international federation of reproduction right organizations federation (IFRRO).

ISAN partnership

ISAN International Agency has developed an authoritative identifier for audiovisual works. With the goal to always enhance identification of works, and that way to ease the exchanges between CMOs, SCAPR has signed an agreement that open free access to the ISAN database to SCAPR members.