Private copying compensation for rightsholders not affiliated with Stim
The Copyright Act contains an exception to copyright that allows anyone to make one or a few copies of published musical works for private use (private copying). At the same time, the law gives creators the right to compensation for their works of music being copied in this way, so‑called private copying compensation (PKE/privatkopieringsersättning in Swedish). The creators currently entitled to such compensation are those whose protected musical works have been broadcast on radio and TV or whose works of music have been published on devices from which they can be reproduced (e.g. CD or DVD).
Private copying compensation in Sweden is collected by Copyswede. Part of the private copying compensation that Copyswede collects for copying musical works is paid to Stim, which then distributes compensation to rightsholders who are entitled to it.
When Stim pays private copying compensation it cannot be done on the basis of records showing exactly which musical works have been copied. This is because what individuals copy privately is their own business and the private copying exception in the Copyright Act means creators cannot control how their musical works are copied. Therefore Stim needs to use its industry knowledge to identify which sources for copying musical works can reasonably be assumed to have been privately copied from.
When Stim has a well‑founded view of which sources are used for private copying and to what kinds of products, Stim can identify representative music reporting data for the music that may have been copied from those sources. An example of a likely source of private copying of broadcast sound is music on Sveriges Radio (SR) for which Stim has reporting data and through which it knows which works SR has broadcast in a given year. When Stim can identify representative data for music that may have been copied in this way, that data can also be used as analogous material for Stim's direct payment of private copying compensation.
Creators who have not received private copying compensation and are not affiliated with Stim but believe they should have received such compensation can submit a claim to Stim. There is a special form for such claims, which specifies what needs to be provided for Stim to process the request.
Read more about private copying compensation on Copyswede's website.
Additional information
If you are a rightsholder who is not affiliated with Stim and have questions regarding Stim's distribution of private copying compensation or wish to claim compensation, you are welcome to contact Stim's Member Service.