Collective Management of Copyright

The emergence of the collective rights management system is dated to the 18th century, when in 1777, the French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais formed the first collecting society in order to protect the author’s rights. At the present time this system continues to be relevant and function successfully both in foreign countries and in the Russian Federation. There are three possible models of collective rights management: voluntary, mandatory and extended, which also exist in Russian civil legislation. However, as Russia joined to the WTO we are obliged to revise the current system of collective rights management so there is the possibility of reforming of this institution. In addition, the development of digital technologies poses new challenges to collecting societies. In connection with the foregoing, this project examines: the national approach of regulation of the collective rights management system; examines the need of reformation in context of the draft law «On Amendments to Part Four of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation (on Improving the Mechanism of Collective Rights Management of Copyright and Related Rights)»; the experience of foreign countries in regulating the collecting societies and also assess how collective rights management system is evolving in response to the digital era. In conclusion, there are generalized results of the study and final conclusion.