Principality of Liechtenstein

ProLitteris, SUISA, Suissimage, and SWISSPERFORM are also the competent collective management organisations for authors’ and related rights in the Principality of Liechtenstein. These organisations are licensed to operate in Liechtenstein by the relevant national authority, in this case the Office of Economic Affairs. 

In the Principality, the four collective management organisations perform the same tasks as in Switzerland: they manage the rights of their Liechtenstein members, set tariffs for the use of their repertoire, collect fees from music users in Liechtenstein based on those tariffs, and distribute these revenues to the entitled parties. The tariffs developed for Switzerland in collaboration with user associations also apply in Liechtenstein once they have been approved by the Office of Economic Affairs.

The legal basis for the work of the collective management organisations in the Principality of Liechtenstein is the Verwertungsgesellschaftengesetz (the collecting societies act (VGG). Since Liechtenstein is a member of the European Economic Area (EEA), the activities of the Swiss collective management organisations in Liechtenstein are subject to EU directives as well. The VGG also serves to implement Directive 2014/26/EU of the EU of 26 February 2014 on collective management of copyright and related rights and multi-territorial licensing of rights in musical works for online use in the internal market.

The purpose of this Directive is to stipulate the requirements for collective management organisations with a view to ensuring high standards of governance, financial management, transparency and reporting. Pursuant to EU requirements, as part of their annual reports the four Swiss collective management organisations also prepare transparency reports in accordance with the VGG.