The STIM process

What does the Copyright Act say?

The Copyright Act gives the musical work's creator exclusive rights to the work. The author is entitled to decide whether the musical work is to be performed in public, recorded, copied or otherwise used – and to grant permission to do so. This is an economic right and he or she is entitled to financial remuneration.

Registration and registering works

By joining STIM, the author and his or her publisher tasks STIM with administering their economic rights as they are expressed in the Copyright Act.

The affiliated member notifies his or her musical works. They are then documented by being entered in the STIM works registry, along with details of ownership shares. Information about foreign musical works is also entered in the works registry.

Licensing

STIM licenses, gives permission, and collects financial remuneration, which it distributes to the author and publisher.

The size of the licence fee is based on the tariffs or agreements stipulated in the signed agreement.

Music reporting, distribution and payment

STIM collects reports on what music has been played, recorded or downloaded/streamed. Music reports serve as the basis for payment to authors and their publishers.

The information in the reports is linked to information on who owns the rights to the utilised musical work. The royalties are distributed according to STIM's distribution rules and paid to the musical works' creators and their publishers, as well as to corresponding foreign organisations. These organisations subsequently forward remuneration to their members.

International network

Corresponding organisations in other countries monitor STIM members' economic rights in their countries. Information and remuneration are sent to STIM for subsequent distribution to its members. By the same token, STIM is tasked by organisations in other countries and other rights owners to represent foreign music that is performed in Sweden.