Why pay a remuneration?

In 1995, around sixteen billion copies were made in Belgium. This is equivalent to an average of 1,600 copies per person ! According to the available European statistics, this figure comprises 6 to 12 % of copies of works protected by copyright. Until recently, authors and publishers received no payment for these copies.

The consequences of reprography are huge. Authors and publishers produce books, daily or weekly newspapers or musical scores intended for sale. And it is from that sale that they make a living. They are not the only ones to make a living from them: tens of thousands of people work in the graphic design, press and illustration sector as a whole. This also includes literary, scientific and university authors, not to mention journalists and publishers of weekly or specialist journals. Copying the work of these people jeopardises their jobs, including and above all in small businesses and in the case of the self-employed.

Article 1 of the new Belgian law on copyright of 30th June 1994 stipulates that the reproduction of a protected work is allowed only with the permission of the publisher or author. Without permission, the user can be punished under civil and criminal law. But the law provides for one important exception. You may copy brief extracts from books, whole articles or photographs without the prior permission of the entitled parties but only under certain clearly defined terms and conditions:
1) if you are copying them for private use, internal use or for educational purposes without being prejudicial to the original publication of the work;
and
2) if you pay a remuneration to the authors and publishers through Reprobel.

Important: for all other uses, you must always have the express permission of the publisher or author. Like to reproduce one or more pages of a book for commercial or profit purposes ? Are you copying a whole book, even for personal or educational purposes ? In both cases, you must request permission. Only articles and works of art can be reproduced in their entirety. Digital copies and their broadcasting are also prohibited without prior permission.