Background and Relevance
The Mexican composers, in collaboration with the Instituto Mexicano para la Propiedad Industrial (IMPI) and Concanaco Servytur, have firmly rejected any form of extortion targeting businesses to collect excessive fees for the use of public music. This initiative aims to ensure transparency in laws, tariffs, and provide easy compliance mechanisms for businesses to pay for the use and reproduction of music in cafes, bars, or restaurants.
Government and Industry Collaboration
Following complaints from national business chambers, particularly in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, regarding refusal to pay author’s rights in commercial establishments, the federal government, IMPI, SACM, and Concanaco Servytur agreed to establish working groups.
Key Players and Their Roles
- Instituto Mexicano para la Propiedad Industrial (IMPI): Responsible for overseeing originality in music and collecting public music usage fees paid to authors and composers.
- Sociedad de Autores y Compositores de México (SACM): Represents music creators and ensures they receive proper compensation for their work.
- Concanaco Servytur: A national business chamber advocating for transparent tariffs and fair compliance mechanisms.
Tariff Transparency and Compliance Mechanisms
IMPI’s Santiago Nieto emphasized their role in safeguarding music originality and the necessity of paying for public music usage. Roberto Cantoral from SACM clarified that the minimum payment is 610 pesos per cafeteria and up to 2,400 pesos for other establishments each month, with funds distributed among artists.
Octavio de la Torre, Concanaco Servytur’s president, requested transparency in tariffs and opposed arbitrary imposition. As a result, the costs for each business will be publicly disclosed.
Addressing Business Concerns
Even if a business has a Spotify or YouTube account, the usage of music must be compensated to artists. Considering the current economic challenges, business owners demanded reduced tariffs.
SACM acknowledged the need for concessions and discounts, stating that tariffs will be evaluated based on business characteristics, size, usage forms, exploitation types, and existing agreements with user associations across the country.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the issue at hand? Businesses were being extorted to pay excessive fees for using public music, prompting the collaboration between composers, IMPI, and Concanaco Servytur to ensure transparency and fair compliance.
- Who are the main parties involved? The Instituto Mexicano para la Propiedad Industrial (IMPI), Sociedad de Autores y Compositores de México (SACM), and Concanaco Servytur.
- What are the tariff evaluation criteria? Tariffs will be assessed based on business characteristics, size, usage forms, exploitation types, and existing agreements with user associations.
- What are the minimum and maximum tariffs? The minimum payment is 610 pesos per cafeteria, while other establishments may owe up to 2,400 pesos monthly.
