ZPÜ / Gema
The ZPÜ as an association of several collecting societies (including GEMA) is responsible for handling copyright in respect of devices and media that can be used for a private copy of copyrighted works.
According to the German Copyright Act (UrhG), producers and importers who first place computers, recorders, USB sticks or recordable CDs, DVDs and the like on the market in Germany must pay fees to the collecting societies of the rights holders (artists). The Central Office for Private Transfer Rights (Zentralstelle für private Überspielungsrechte - ZPÜ) has the task of asserting on behalf of the German collecting societies the remuneration claims to which they are entitled from the producers and importers of equipment and blank media and of distributing the remuneration revenue to the collecting societies. As representatives of the authors, the collecting societies are legally obliged to conclude overall agreements on the amount of royalties on reasonable terms with associations representing the producers and importers concerned. The aim of these negotiations is to achieve a fair reconciliation of interests between all parties involved.
The ZPÜ has contractually incorporated VERE e.V. (Verband zur Rücknahme und Verwertung von Elektro- und Elektronik-Altgeräten = Association for Taking Back and Recycling Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) into existing overall agreements for PCs, tablets and mobile phones. VERE is the founding organisation of our affiliate take-e-way GmbH and also represents the interests of more than 3,900 companies at the political level. By becoming parties to these overall agreements, members of VERE e. V. stand to benefit from a discount of 20 per cent on the tariffs imposed by the ZPÜ and have the advantage of only having to report quantities to the ZPÜ every six months instead of on a quarterly basis. Becoming a party to the overall contract means lower costs and less bureaucracy for you.
Background: For PCs, tablets and mobile phones, a one-off copyright fee must be paid to the Zentralstelle für privatrechtliche Überspielungsrechte (ZPÜ) in the distribution chain for each product. As a member of the VERE association, you can also become a party to the overall contracts. The annual fee for membership of the VERE association only amounts to 25.00 euros.
Further particulars on membership of the VERE Association can be found in the VERE membership application.
If you have any questions regarding the copyright levy or on becoming a party to the overall agreements, please phone the consultant of our affiliate take-e-way, Dr Andreas Mühlhausen on +49-(0)40/-750687-137 or send an email message to muehlhausen@take-e-way.de.