The role of SACD

What are the advantages of registering with the SACD?

SACD has been identified as the authorised representative for a large number of French and foreign authors and accordingly receives performing authorisation requests directly from theatres and live show producers.

To benefit from SACD’s services an author must be a member.

According to the author’s or right holder’s wishes, the SACD will interact with whoever has been appointed as his/her representative: French agency, foreign agency, solicitor or any other third party… For this purpose, a « mandate to be exercised through the SACD » should be completed and signed by both parties and addressed to the SACD.

Who can register with, or become a member of the SACD?

At the SACD, only natural persons (authors, composers, heirs, legatees…) may join as members.

Is it compulsory to join as a member for the whole world?

In theory, membership is for the whole world. Under the statutes, however, it is provided that membership may be restricted to two groups of territories:

• either limited to France, Belgium, French-speaking Canada, Luxemburg and Monaco
• or the above countries plus those with which the SACD has signed an agreement of representation.

Authors who are not citizens of an E.U. member state or coming from outside the European Economic Area, may limit their membership to France.

What is the procedure with regard to negotiation of the terms of a stage licence and approval of such conditions?

The SACD will send the rights holder a licence request with all the information it has at its disposal about the project and the conditions it intends to apply for royalties collection. The rights holder may demand that better conditions be applied than those offered but not anything lower. She or he may also request further information and make all artistic or financial comments s/he deems fit. The SACD will not deliver any authorisation without receiving prior consent in writing from the rights holder for all of the terms.

Are amateur stage productions processed differently by SACD from professional stage productions?

Authors may also entrust SACD to represent them in delivering authorisations to amateur troupes. The conditions applicable to royalties collected for amateur productions are different from those of professional ones.