S U I S A

The Swiss Society for the Rights of Authors of Musical Works

Founded in 1923, SUISA (from Suisse Auteurs), is the society for over 20'000 composers, writers and music publishers in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Thanks to reciprocity agreements concluded with more than 100 sister societies abroad, SUISA represents the world-wide music repertoire of 1.7 million rightholders, composers, writers and publishers.

SUISA administers the so-called "small rights" as opposed to the "grand rights" which include operas and musicals and are administered by SSA - Société Suisse des Auteurs. Small rights include the rights in non-dramatic musical works, concert versions and musical works for film and television inter alia. SUISA issues licences for musical performances, broadcasts, retransmissions and reproductions to some 90'000 customers (concert organisers, record producers, broadcasting companies etc.). The rules for determining royalty amounts are set out in the Copyright Law: maximum ten percent of the revenues or costs from the use of music. SUISA's tariffs are supervised by the Federal Arbitration Commission and the price control authority.

SUISA realises an annual turnover of some CHF 140 million. The 1992 Federal Copyright Law constitutes the legal framework for its activities. SUISA is under the supervision of the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property. SUISA employs about 200 persons in its offices in Zurich, Lausanne and Lugano.

The SUISA Foundation for Music was established to promote the creation of all genres of music in Switzerland.