At the request of Economy Minister Pierre-Yves Dermagne, the Federal Parliament approved in July a law providing for compensation for authors, composers and performers for the loss of income from copyright and neighbouring rights in 2020 and 2021 due to sanitary measures. In the meantime, the executive measures for this law have also been published, allowing PlayRight to proceed with the distribution of this federal compensation for actors and musicians.

Who is eligible?

Artists with fiscal residence in Belgium. Both PlayRight members and non-members artists are eligible, under the conditions explained below.

How will PlayRight distribute this federal compensation?

PlayRight will use two mechanisms to distribute this compensation:

1- additional distribution

How do we do this? We calculate the average amount of rights that have been allocated to you as an artist by PlayRight for the reference years 2017, 2018 and 2019. From this average, the amount of rights distributed for the years 2020 and 2021 is deducted. The difference between the average amount of the allocated rights for the years 2017, 2018 and 2019 and the amount of the allocated rights for the year 2020 and 2021 constitutes the loss of income for 2020 and 2021.

The regulation provides for compensation of up to 70% of this loss of income, with a threshold of 150 euros and a ceiling of 10,000 euros. Specifically, those who, as artists, received less than €150 from PlayRight on average over the years 2017 to 2019 will not be eligible for compensation. For those who received more than €10,000, the loss of income is capped at €10,000, and the compensation is 70% of €10,000.

When? The regulations stipulate that this federal compensation must be distributed before 31 December 2021. You will therefore receive a communication on the exact amount of compensation by that date at the latest, as for an ordinary distribution.

What should I do as an artist? If you are already a member, you do not need to do anything else. You are not a member and you think you are eligible? Then send us your repertoire via members@playright.be  by 31 December 2021 at the latest, mentioning “federal compensation – article 4” in the subject line.

2- a lump sum compensation of 150 euros

150 euros per artist and per reference year (2020 and 2021) for the following two scenarios: if the production of an audiovisual work could not take place in 2020 and/or 2021; if the release of an album was postponed or cancelled in 2020 and/or 2021.

Both members and non-members artists are eligible. The application for this lump sum compensation, together with supporting documents, must be sent by e-mail to rp@playright.be, under the heading “federal compensation – article 8”, by Monday 31 January 2022 at the latest.