The ‘Other’ Copyright Management Entities in Spain: A Guide for Creators and Businesses

28 March, 2025
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Intellectual property
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Lucas Charnet


When talking about copyright in Spain, the Sociedad General de Autores y Editores (SGAE) is often the first entity that comes to mind. However, the landscape of collective rights management is much broader, encompassing a variety of organizations that protect creators across different sectors. From writers and visual artists to performers and producers, multiple entities ensure the remuneration and protection of their rights over the exploitation of their works.

In this article, we explore the main copyright management entities in Spain beyond SGAE and the crucial role they play in the creative industry.

What Are Copyright Management Entities?

Copyright management entities are non-profit organizations authorized by the Ministry of Culture and Sports. Their main function is to collect and distribute royalties generated from the use of protected works, ensuring that creators receive fair compensation for the use of their content. These entities also defend the interests of their members against third parties and ensure compliance with intellectual property legislation.

It is important not to confuse copyright management entities with intellectual property registries. While the former are responsible for collecting and distributing revenues from the use of works, they may also offer registration services to document the authorship of a work. However, as we have discussed in other blog posts, copyright protection in Spain does not depend on registration—protection arises from the very creation of a work, not from its inscription in a registry.

Each entity specializes in a specific type of work or creator, allowing for efficient management tailored to the needs of each sector. Below, we review some of the most important ones:

CEDRO: Protection for Writers and Publishers

The Centro Español de Derechos Reprográficos (CEDRO) is the entity responsible for managing the copyrights of writers, translators, and publishers of books, magazines, newspapers, and musical scores. Its primary function is to control the reproduction of these works in educational settings, libraries, and businesses, ensuring that rights holders receive compensation when their texts are copied, digitized, or used in internal networks.

A clear example of its role is the management of reproduction licenses in universities and study centers, where teachers photocopy excerpts from copyrighted books. Additionally, CEDRO combats digital piracy, such as the illegal downloading of e-books, contributing to the sustainability of the publishing industry.

VEGAP: The Reference for Visual Artists

For creators of visual works, the main copyright management entity is VEGAP (Visual Entidad de Gestión de Artistas Plásticos). It represents painters, sculptors, photographers, illustrators, and graphic designers, ensuring that their rights are respected in exhibitions, publications, reproductions, and audiovisual broadcasts.

One of the most important rights managed by VEGAP is the “resale right”, which allows artists to receive a percentage of the resale price when their works are auctioned or sold in art galleries. A common case is that of a painter whose artwork is resold at an auction house—thanks to VEGAP, the artist can receive a proportional compensation for the new transaction.

DAMA and SEDA: Rights in the Audiovisual Sector

The audiovisual sector has several collective management organizations specializing in protecting the rights of screenwriters, directors, and authors of audiovisual works:

DAMA (Derechos de Autor de Medios Audiovisuales): Manages the rights of film and television directors and screenwriters, ensuring they receive compensation for the exhibition and distribution of their works across different formats and platforms. A typical example is the collection of royalties when a Spanish film is broadcast on television or a streaming platform.

SEDA (Sociedad Española de Derechos de Autor): Focuses on managing the rights of authors and publishers of musical works used in audiovisual media, including film, television, and advertising. If a commercial includes a protected song, SEDA handles the collection and distribution of royalties to the respective composers and lyricists.

These entities ensure that creators receive their fair share of the revenue generated by the exploitation of their works in a highly digitalized and globalized sector.

AIE and AISGE: Performers’ Rights

Performers also have their own rights management organizations, which are essential in ensuring fair remuneration when their performances are broadcast or reproduced:

AIE (Artistas Intérpretes o Ejecutantes): Protects the rights of performing and recording musicians by collecting revenue for the reproduction and public communication of their recordings. For example, when an artist’s song is played on a radio station, AIE ensures that the musicians who participated in the recording receive their corresponding share.

AISGE (Artistas Intérpretes, Sociedad de Gestión): Represents actors, dancers, and voice actors, ensuring they receive compensation for the use of their performances in films, television, and digital platforms. A voice actor dubbing a foreign film receives payments every time the movie is broadcast on television, thanks to AISGE’s management.

These organizations play a crucial role in protecting the artists who bring audiovisual and musical creations to life.

AGEDI and EGEDA: Producers’ Rights

Finally, music and audiovisual producers also have dedicated rights management organizations that help them protect their rights and monetize their works:

AGEDI (Asociación de Gestión de Derechos Intelectuales): Manages the rights of phonogram and music video producers, ensuring the collection of royalties when their material is used in radio stations, television, or public spaces. A common case is the use of a song in a gym or a bar, where AGEDI collects a fee for its reproduction.

EGEDA (Entidad de Gestión de Derechos de los Productores Audiovisuales): Represents film and television producers, facilitating the collection of royalties generated by the broadcasting and distribution of their works. For instance, when a Spanish series is acquired by an international network, EGEDA manages the revenue from broadcast rights.

Conclusion: The Importance of Identifying the Right Organization

Spain’s copyright management ecosystem is broad and diverse, tailored to the needs of different types of creators. Although SGAE is the most well-known entity, it is crucial for professionals in the creative sector, as well as businesses and establishments that use protected works, to identify the organization that manages their rights and best represents their interests. This ensures proper protection and fair monetization.

If you are an artist, performer, publisher, producer, or business owner, or if you operate a venue that plays copyrighted content, identifying the right entity to manage these rights is key to securing fair remuneration for your work and protecting the exploitation of your creations in the market.

At MES Advocats, we provide expert legal advice on the management and protection of your intellectual property rights, ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve.

For more information or personalized guidance, visit www.mesadvocats.com.

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CopyrightGestión colectivaIndustria creativaIntellectual Property

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