Recent Updates from AIPPI UAE Group – Licensing of the First Collection Society Organization in the United Arab Emirate

Update: A significant development in the UAE’s creative sector happened recently after a very long-awaited update. The launch of the Emirates Music Rights Association (“EMRA”) and the UAE’s first licensed collective management organization (CMO) for the music industry happened last month. The UAE government indicated that the permit for EMRA reflects the market’s commitment to its Vision of 2031 and meets the objectives of becoming a global creative hub. The UAE continues to develop an attractive legislative and regulatory framework that covers Intellectual Property. On April 10, 2025, the UAE Ministry of Economy granted the first license for a collective management organization/collecting society for music in the UAE under Federal Decree Law No. 38 of 2021 concerning copyright and neighboring rights (“Copyright Law”). This license empowers EMRA to collect and distribute royalties on behalf of music creators, ensuring that musicians, producers, publishers, and artists receive fair compensation for the use of their works across various platforms.

The establishment of EMRA and its licensing was done in collaboration with the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), which indicates that EMRA will be operating at international standards and in accordance with best practices.

Introduction: A Collecting Management Society or Organization is an organization that manages copyright works on behalf of the authors and right holders. In essence, the CMOs play the role of intermediaries between the rights owners and potential licensees, such as hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues, broadcasters (radio, TV), online streaming platforms, etc. The CMOs manage the licensing of copyright work and distribute the collected royalties to its members in accordance with a specific tariff scheme.

The UAE Federal Copyright Law No. 38 of 2021 (“UAE Copyright Law”) and its Implementing Regulations provide for the establishment and operation of CMOs. It was introduced for the first time in the 2002 law amendments to the 1992 Copyright Law (to meet the UAE’s international obligations at that time). Prior to EMRA’s establishment, the UAE lacked a centralized system for royalty collection. Musicians and producers were responsible for collecting royalties from various sectors independently, often leading to inefficiencies and inconsistent compensation. While the UAE’s copyright laws recognized the rights of music creators, the absence of a dedicated and/or licensed CMO meant that enforcement and monetization of these rights were challenging in practice.

It is worth noting that the establishment of EMRA follows the launch of the Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association, which was established in 2022.

Why Collecting Management Societies matters. CMOs play a pivotal role in creative industries, particularly serving the music industry given the multiple layers involved in a piece of music being played. There are usually different right holders involved in playing a song, such as, for example, the right holder to the lyrics is likely to differ from the right holder to the sound recording.

In practice and in absence of CMOs, the potential licensees would need approvals from the different right holders to play the music in public. However, the CMOs now, and once fully operating, can act as the focal point of contact for licensing the relevant rights allowing for a more streamlined approach in navigating the different layered rights involved.  Therefore, the CMO would assist rights holders to get their works exploited properly and get monetized. It will also assist users, who would be able to acquire rights from one single entity rather than entering into a complex process of identifying the individual copyright owners and negotiating separately each underlying work. The CMO will also help in the enforcement of the rights of the members it represents. Other CMOs across the world may collect royalties in the UAE through the existing and/or newly established CMOs.  There are some sessions and discussions in progress.

What is next? According to the latest news, EMRA will develop a digital platform for rights registration and revenue management, as well as organize awareness workshops for artists to inform them about their rights and protection mechanisms. It may take some time until EMRA builds its catalogue and starts collecting royalties. The launch of EMRA signifies the UAE’s commitment to fostering a sustainable and innovation-driven creative environment. The Ministry of Economy is in the process of considering licensing other CMOs in the UAE, such as Music Nation. The Ministry of Economy is keen on listening to the market, sectors, and professionals and taking their views to overcome any challenges and ensure the best practice is going to be followed when CMOs are fully operating in the local market.