What is a CMO?
A Collective Management Organisation (CMO) manages copyright and related rights on behalf of multiple rights holders.
- CMOs provide a valuable service to both rights holders of copyright protected works and those wishing to licence them, by providing an efficient way to collect and distribute royalties.
- Rights holders such as artists, creatives and beneficiaries will join a CMO as members and instruct it to license rights on their behalf. The CMO charges a fee for the licence, from which it deducts an administrative charge before distributing the remainder as royalties.
- CMOs are typically not for profit organisations and are owned and controlled by their members.
- DACS and other UK CMOs are governed by the Collective Management of Copyright (EU Directive) Regulations 2016.