Copyright societies

Copyright societies (collective management organisations) grant licences and collect remunerations for the use of works and other protected materials, and distribute the remunerations in accordance with the Act on Collective Management of Copyright (1494/2016) to rightholders while observing the remittance rules determined within the mandate of the society.

These activities are based on mandates from rightholders. Rightholders give the copyright society a power of attorney or sign an agreement by which they entitle the collective society to manage and monitor their rights.

This makes it easier for users to acquire rights and pay remunerations to Finnish and foreign rightholders.

In addition, professional societies and branch organisations of authors and performing artists may negotiate general terms and conditions related to the use of the rights with parties such as publishers and radio and television companies, as well as offer their members counselling on copyright-related matters.

Collective management organisations

Seven collective management organisations operate in Finland: APFI, Avate, Gramex, Kopiosto, Kuvasto, Sanasto and Teosto.

APFI is a copyright society for audiovisual producers. It supervises the rights of audiovisual producers with respect to certain uses of audiovisual works.

• www.apfi.fi

Avate Audiovisual authors and performers in Finland is a copyright organisation for authors in the audiovisual industry. Avate represents screenwriters and directors and promotes professional film making and fair contracts.

• www.avate.fi

Gramex is a copyright association for performing artists and recording producers. Gramex promotes and administers the rights of performing artists whose performances have been recorded on phonograms and the rights of producers of phonograms, collects remunerations for the public performance of recorded music, and distributes remunerations to those entitled to them.

• www.gramex.fi

Kopiosto is an umbrella organisation for authors, performing artists and publishers. Kopiosto grants licences for photocopying and electronic use of printed material, as well as for use of audiovisual works, e.g. recording of TV and radio programmes in educational establishments, and retransmission.

• www.kopiosto.fi

Kuvasto is a copyright society for artists working in the field of visual arts. Kuvasto looks after the rights of visual artists under copyright legislation and promotes the conditions for using visual art.

• www.kuvasto.fi

Teosto is a copyright society for composers, lyricists, arrangers and music publishers. Teosto administers their rights in public performance and mechanical reproduction.

• www.teosto.fi

Sanasto is a copyright society for authors and translators, and its purpose is to promote, supervise and manage writers’ copyrights in Finland as well as abroad.

• www.sanasto.fi

Other organisations

Alongside the above organisations, distribution of information on copyright and surveillance of rights is performed by the Copyright Information and Anti-Piracy Centre (CIAPC). The centre was jointly established by several organisations, and its tasks include, among others, work against copyright piracy.

• www.antipiracy.fi

The Finnish Copyright Society functions as a general discussion forum in the copyright field in Finland. The Finnish Copyright Institute operates under the Society and publishes reports and other materials on copyright. The Finnish Copyright Society Library is a special library in the copyright field. The collections of the Library are comprised of relevant domestic and international copyright-related literature.

• www.copyrightsociety.fi