Skopje, 19 November 2025 – At the close of the regional seminar “Authors First: Copyright as the Cornerstone of Creativity and Culture in the Audiovisual Sector”, held on 18–19 November in Skopje, collective management organisations (CMOs), authors, film institutions and cultural bodies from across Central and Eastern Europe adopted a historic joint statement: the Skopje Call.

The declaration represents the strongest coordinated regional appeal to date for the protection of audiovisual authors’ rights and for restoring legality in North Macedonia’s copyright system. It reflects a unified position of over twenty organisations committed to transparency, fairness and European alignment in the audiovisual sector.

A Clear Message: Copyright Is the Foundation of Culture and Democratic Maturity

The Skopje Call emphasises that copyright is not a bureaucratic formality but a living cultural infrastructure, enabling creators to sustain their work and societies to benefit from cultural and economic growth. When copyright systems fail, it states, “an entire cultural ecosystem is silenced.”

North Macedonia’s Situation at the Centre of Regional Concern

Participants expressed deep concern about the ongoing inability of AZAS to implement its legally submitted and positively assessed tariff, leaving Macedonian and foreign audiovisual authors without remuneration for more than seven years.

The declaration notes:

• AZAS’s tariff received a positive legal opinion from the Commission for Copyright and Related Rights in January 2024, fully confirming its compliance with national and EU law.
• Despite this, the tariff has not yet been placed on the Government’s agenda, blocking the lawful functioning of collective management and preventing royalty payments.
• EU Enlargement Reports for 2023, 2024 and 2025 have repeatedly highlighted systemic weaknesses: understaffed copyright administration, lack of alignment with the DSM Directive and SatCab II Directive, and an overall need for institutional strengthening.

These persistent obstacles, the signatories warn, undermine legal certainty, reciprocity with European partners, and the credibility of the country’s cultural and democratic development.

Regional Unity: A Strong and Coordinated Response

The Skopje Call is a direct, collective appeal by CMOs representing thousands of audiovisual authors across Europe. The signatories:

1. Call on the Government of North Macedonia to immediately place the AZAS tariff on its agenda for approval – an essential step for restoring legality and enabling authors to receive fair remuneration.
2. Emphasize that approving the tariff will strengthen rightsholders and generate fiscal benefits through taxation of royalties.
3. Affirm that tariff approval is an independent and urgent legal obligation, which must not be delayed or tied to future legislative reforms.
4. Call on the Parliament, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of European Affairs and Ministry of Justice to ensure that collective management operates transparently and efficiently.
5. Urge the EU Delegation and EU Member State Embassies in Skopje to take an active role – not only as observers, but as partners – in encouraging the resolution of this long-standing issue.
6. Encourage regional CMOs to continue their cooperation and solidarity, demonstrating that united action elevates the entire region’s cultural standing.

The declaration highlights that resolving AZAS’s case is not only in the national interest but is also a crucial step for strengthening trust, reciprocity and alignment within the European copyright community.

A European Voice: “A Europe that values its creators is a Europe that sustains its culture.”

In the concluding message of the declaration, Cécile Despringre, Secretary General of the SAA, stated:

“The situation of AZAS transcends national boundaries – it reflects a shared European responsibility to uphold creators’ rights. By approving the AZAS tariff, North Macedonia would reaffirm its commitment to European values and demonstrate that creativity and culture stand at the heart of its path toward EU membership.”

Signatories: A Broad Regional Alliance

The Skopje Call was signed by a wide coalition of CMOs, film agencies and cultural bodies, including organisations from North Macedonia, Slovenia, Poland, Croatia, Spain, Serbia, Lithuania, Estonia, Albania, Montenegro, Slovakia, Kosovo, Romania, Hungary and others.

Their united voice demonstrates the shared conviction that authors’ rights are a fundamental part of democratic maturity, cultural identity and economic sustainability.

AZAS: “We Stand Ready”

AZAS welcomes the Skopje Call as a strong recognition of its commitment and its fully prepared operational capacity. Once the tariff is approved, the organisation will be able to fulfil its lawful mandate, ensuring that Macedonian and international audiovisual authors finally receive the remuneration they deserve.

This declaration places Skopje at the centre of an important regional and European discussion: the protection of authors’ rights as a cornerstone of cultural development and European integration.