Paris-headquartered royalty collection society Sacem has signed what it calls a “landmark” representation agreement with the Emirates Arts & Music Rights Association (EMRA).
EMRA was granted the first-ever collective management license in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in April last year.
According to a press release from Sacem, the “unprecedented agreement” between the two organizations marks “a turning point for the protection and fair remuneration of creators, authors, composers, and publishers in the UAE”.
The release added that “for the first time, creators in the UAE will benefit from a collective rights management system that ensures royalties are fairly collected and distributed, both locally and internationally” and that “thanks to its non-profit status, [EMRA] ensures that management fees are regulated and reinvested in the service of creators”.
When EMRA’s license was approved last year, allowing the association to collect and distribute royalties for music creators, the UAE government indicated that the permit reflects the market’s commitment to its ‘Vision 2031‘ objectives of becoming a global creative hub by developing an attractive legislative and regulatory framework.
The Middle East and North Africa was the fastest-growing region for recorded music globally in 2024, growing by 22.8% YoY, according to IFPI figures. Global recorded music industry revenues grew by 4.8% YoY to $29.6 billion in 2024.
According to the official UAE government press release about EMRA at the time, the cultural and creative industries contributed 3.5% to the UAE’s GDP in 2022, equivalent to 54.4 billion dirhams (USD $14.8 billion).
Sacem, which claims to represent the “world’s most significant Arabic-language repertoires”, noted that it “has long been active in the Gulf region”.
In the UAE, Sacem has joined forces with global recorded music body IFPI and UK-based music rights organization PPL to design what it calls “a tailor-made framework for the collection of both authors’ and neighbouring rights”, claimed to be another first for the region.
Sacem added in a press release that “the UAE’s growing recognition of the creative economy as a driver of innovation and societal development underscores the importance” of its new deal with EMRA.
It added: “By ensuring fair remuneration for Emirati and international creators, this new framework will promote artistic exchange and reinforce the country’s cultural standing within a globalized creative landscape.”
“This partnership is the result of years of dialogue.”
Cécile Rap-Veber, Sacem
“This partnership is the result of years of dialogue,” said Cécile Rap-Veber, CEO of Sacem. “It embodies Sacem’s mission to ensure that creators are fairly remunerated and to support the emergence of strong cultural infrastructures wherever creativity thrives.
“We are also committed to fostering the development and efficiency of collective management organizations around the world, as key pillars of a fair and sustainable creative economy. The UAE’s step forward is visionary, and we are honoured to contribute to this new chapter.”
“This collaboration with Sacem represents a major step forward in aligning the UAE’s creative sector with global standards.”
Adnan Al-Obthani, EMRA
“This collaboration with Sacem represents a major step forward in aligning the UAE’s creative sector with global standards,” said Adnan Al-Obthani, Chairman of EMRA.
“It reinforces our role as a collective management organization committed to strengthening creators’ rights and positioning the UAE as a leading cultural hub in the region.”
Elsewhere in the market, Music Nation operates as a music rights management organization that licenses the rights of authors, publishers, sound recording owners and performers throughout the UAE. Music Nation has secured partnerships with BMI and SoundExchange.
Also in the market, Abu Dhabi-based music rights management organization ESMAA was launched by PopArabia in 2020 and struck deals to represent the rights of global collecting societies including SOCAN (Canada) and the UK’s PRS For Music.
Sacem is one of the world’s largest CMOs, collecting royalties from streaming platforms in nearly 200 territories on behalf of its members.
The organization paid out €1.379 billion ($1.492bn) to composers and publishers for 2024, a 12% increase from the previous year, maintaining its operating expenses ratio at 10.8%.
Also in 2024, it secured 16 new strategic mandates, adding partnerships with Côte d’Ivoire’s Burida, India’s IPRS, and publisher Believe Sentric to its portfolio of 70 existing mandates, which include Universal Music Publishing International, ASCAP, Canada’s Socan, and Korean society Komca.
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