What is SPCMO?

SPCMO has been authorised by its members to manage the publisher’s right – the new neighbouring right of the publishers of press publications under the Swedish Copyright Act.

The publisher’s right is based on Article 15 of the Directive (EU) 2019/790 of the European Parliament and of the Council (the ”DSM Directive”) which, with effect from 1 January 2023, has been transposed into Swedish law through section 48 b-d §§ Swedish Copyright Act (”Publisher’s Right”).

The purpose of the Publisher’s Right is to protect the publishers of press publications’ investments in the current press publication. The Publisher’s Right entitles publishers of press publications their own right in relation to information society service providers for certain online use. It is specifically publishers of press publications that are protected by this new exclusive neighbouring right.

The Publisher’s Right gives publishers of press publications an exclusive right to make their publication available for online use by reproduction and making the press publication available to the public in such a way that individual users can access it from a place and time of their choosing. This implies that information society service providers, which provide their own and/or other companies’ services or products, can obtain a license for the online use of press publications through their services, by entering into license agreements with SPCMO for such use covered by the Publisher’s Right.

Corresponding organisations exist in many of the EU countries where Article 15 of the DSM Directive is transposed into national law.

The following associations are members of SPCMO:

Aller Media, Alltinget AB, Bonnier News AB, Egmont Storyhouse AB, Everysport Group AB, Förvaltningsaktiebolaget Albinsson & Sjöberg, Gota Media AB, Innerstadpress AB, LO Mediehus AB, LRF Media AB, Norrköpings Tidningar Media AB, NWT Media AB, Ny Teknik Group Sverige AB, Råd och Rön AB, Schibstedt News Media AB, Stampen Lokala Medier AB, Svenska Transportarbetareförbundet, Unionen, Vi Media AB, Västerbotten-Kurirens Media AB.

The Board consists of 11 directors and has a broad representation among the Swedish media houses.

Anders Enström Gota Media, chairman
Cia Jansson Aller Media
Fredric Karén Schibsted News Media AB
Hannes Andersson Everysport Group AB
Jimmie Näslund Västerbotten-Kuriren Media AB
Lina Hedenström Norrköpings Tidningar Media AB
Linda Stiernstrand Stampen Lokala Medier AB
Lotta Edling Bonnier News AB
Mikael Rothsten NWT Media AB
Thomas Mattsson Bonnier News AB
Thomas Petersohn Ny Teknik Group Sverige AB, vice-chairman

According to its statutes and the affiliation agreement with its members, the scope of the operation of SPCMO is to:

a. negotiate and, where applicable, enter into agreements on the use of the Publisher’s Right,
b. collect, manage and distribute rights revenues to publishers of press publications arising from the licensing of the Publisher’s Right,
c. monitor and protect the rights arising from the Publisher’s Right on behalf of the publishers of press publications, and
d. where applicable, negotiate and pay amounts due under section 48 d § Swedish Copyright Act to existing groups of rightholders.

The members have given their approval to SPCMO to collectively manage the rights related to the Publisher’s Right, which, for example, includes the right to conclude license agreements with information society service providers related to all use covered by the Publisher’s Right. In addition, SPCMO shall, where applicable, negotiate and pay amounts due according to section 48 d § Swedish Copyright Act.

Click below to read the statutes of SPCMO and the affiliation agreement.

SPCMO endeavours to correct any errors as soon as possible. Click below to view SPCMO’s complaint handling and dispute resolution procedures.