MinLaw and IPOS launch public consultation on CMO licensing scheme

The consultation looks at making a mandatory Code of Conduct for CMOs.

The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) have launched a public consultation that will end on 30 June for a proposed licensing scheme for Collective Management Organisations (CMOs) in Singapore, an announcement revealed.

CMOs manage licensing administration and royalty collection of copyright works for creators, whilst providing users with cost-effective access to the works. “The effective management and access are crucial to the success of any copyright regime. Thus, it is imperative that CMOs operate with high standards of transparency, governance, accountability and efficiency,” the report said.

MinLaw and IPOS also noted that CMOs are currently unregulated in Singapore. Specifically, it aims to address a range of issues seen in the Copyright Review Report in 2019 and Copyright Collective Rights Management Ecosystem Public Consultation 2017, focussing on minimum standards and keeping compliance efforts and costs low.

Some key areas raised include setting minimum standards that CMOs must provide to members including freedom to determine the rights to grant to CMOs, and the opportunity to participate in the key decision-making processes of the CMO. It also requires CMOs to set out their distribution policy clearly and provide sufficient information on the source of revenue, to show greater transparency and publication of information, and to provide an effective and cost-efficient dispute resolution mechanism, including recourse to mediation.

There will also be a mandatory Code of Conduct which CMOs will have to comply with.