When is becoming a member useful?

If you make musical creations on a regular basis that are often broadcast on radio or TV or recorded on CD or DVD, it is then sensible to become a Buma/Stemra member. After all, it is difficult to check for yourself where and when your music is being used. If you do not create a lot of compositions or lyrics and if you are able to check yourself where and when they are being used, you can handle the commercial exploitation of the rights yourself. In that case becoming a Buma member/Stemra affiliate is not necessary.

Procedure

Becoming a Buma/Stemra member can be done in 4 steps:

1. Buma, Stemra, or both?
   You determine for yourself whether it is useful to become a Buma member, a Stemra affiliate, or both. Buma collects and distributes remunerations for performances and broadcasts of your creations. Stemra makes arrangements with anybody who records music on image and sound carriers. More information about the differences between Buma and Stemra.
2. Completing and sending in the registration form
   Print the music authors’ registration form or the music publishers’ registration form and fill it in. Music authors send the form in to Buma/Stemra, together with a copy of a suitable proof of identity. Music publishers add an original extract of the Chamber of Commerce records, which describes the company as being a music publishing business. The original extract will be returned to them once registration has been completed.
3. Payment by bank giro
   You will receive a giro form that you use to pay the membership costs.
4. Definitive agreement
   As soon as we have received your payment, you will receive your commercial exploitation contracts, two copies from Buma and/or two from Stemra. You must complete these contracts and send them both back, as Buma/Stemra has to sign the contracts as well. One copy of each contract is for Buma/Stemra’s records. One copy is sent back to you for your own records. The agreement is then official. Finally, you will receive a letter with your client number and forms for declaring your works.

Membership costs

The one-off registration fee is:

• € 45.00 for authors
• € 90.00 for publishers

The annual contribution is

• € 62.50 for authors
• € 125.00 for publishers

Commencement date for the commercial exploitation of rights

If you are a member, Buma/Stemra handles commercial exploitation of the music copyright for your creations. This commercial exploitation formally starts on 1 January of the calendar year in which you become a member and applies retroactively for that entire year.

Having your say

If you have signed a commercial exploitation agreement with Buma/Stemra, then you are a ’participant’ from a legal point of view. Being a participant does not entitle you to a vote or voice in Buma/Stemra’s policy. You have to meet certain criteria to get voting rights within the Vereniging Buma (the Buma association) or the Stichting Stemra (Stemra foundation). As soon as this is the case, we will notify you.

Registering your work with the tax office or a notary public

We advise you to register your work, whether or not you are a Buma/Stemra member. You can register your work at a tax office that has a ‘Registration and Succession’ department or with a notary public. You can also put a recording of your work in a sealed envelope and send it to yourself by registered post. You subsequently keep the unopened and date-stamped envelope in a safe place. The registered post makes clear that your creation existed on a certain date.