News

Warner/Chappell Music, the global publishing arm of Warner Music Group, and SABAM, the Belgian association of authors, composers and publishers, today announced that SABAM has joined Warner/Chappell’s Pan-European Digital Licensing (PEDL) initiative. The society will now be authorised to offer pan-European digital licences in Warner/Chappell’s Anglo-American repertoire.

The PEDL initiative grants non-exclusive rights in Warner/Chappell Music’s catalogue to those collection societies which are willing to comply with a group of joint standards focused on efficiency and accountability in copyright administration as well as appropriate, accurate compensation for songwriters. The societies who have signed up to the PEDL initiative thus far are BUMA/STEMRA, GEMA, MCPS, SACEM, SGAE and STIM. Other societies remain welcome to join.

Christophe Depreter, SABAM’s General Manager, said “The fact that SABAM is currently able to comply with the standards of transparency and efficiency that have been put forward by Warner/Chappell Music shows the extent of the work that SABAM has carried out for some years now. The acceleration of its modernization is reinforcing SABAM’s presence and role on the European level and this to the advantage of its right holders and its customers”.

Jane Dyball, Senior Vice President, International Legal and Business Affairs, Warner/Chappell Music, “PEDL continues to demonstrate a way forward for achieving one-stop pan-regional licensing that benefits our writers by encouraging digital usage of their works. The initiative simplifies the licensing process for users of Warner/Chappell’s catalogue, gives us complete transparency into the licences issued in the past, present and future, whilst maintaining value for rights-holders. We’re very pleased to have SABAM on board.”