Collective management refers to a method of administering intellectual property rights, mainly in the area of copyright and related rights, whereby rights holders entrust a collective management organisation (CMO) with the task of managing, collecting, and distributing royalties related to the use of their works.
It serves several purposes:
- Pooling the management of rights when it is difficult or impossible to exercise them individually (e.g., music broadcast on a large scale, photocopying of works, digital distribution).
- Ensuring the collection of remuneration from users (radio stations, platforms, broadcasters, companies).
- Guaranteeing the equitable distribution of revenues among rights holders.
- Facilitate access to works for operators by offering them global licenses.
Collective management can be mandatory (e.g., for private copying) or optional (e.g., management of music rights).
In France, CMOs such as SACEM, ADAGP, SCAM, etc. play a central role in regulating the rights market.