On April 28, 2020, the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances of the World Intellectual Property Organization officially entered into force. The treaty was adopted by WIPO Member States in 2012.
The Beijing Treaty improves and adapts to modern realities the regime for protecting the rights of actors, singers, musicians, dancers, and other categories of performers for their audiovisual performances, contained in the Rome Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations of 1961.
In particular, the Agreement provides the beneficiaries with five types of exclusive property rights for their performance, fixed in an audiovisual format: the rights of reproduction, distribution, rental, making available and broadcasting and communication to the public.
“Many of the actors and other performers in our beloved series and movies are essentially gig workers, without long-term salaries, equity stakes, or great fame. The Beijing Treaty helps give these performers more rights to their work, which in turn boosts their personal revenues”, said WIPO Director General Francis Gurry.
The countries joined the Beijing Treaty agreed to provide in their legislation measures to ensure the observance of rights, allowing them to take effective action against any act of violation of the rights established in the Treaty. These actions should include urgent measures to prevent and deter violations.
To date, 32 countries ratified the Treaty, including Moldova and Russia.