The UAE’s Ministry of Financial system and Tourism has launched a brand new information regulating the collective administration of music rights, introducing licensing charges for companies that play music commercially, with assortment to start in December 2026.
The ‘Collective Administration in Music Information’ units out charges for institutions together with eating places, cafes, lodges, purchasing malls, health centres, airways, radio stations, tv channels, and concert events and comparable occasions, given the hyperlink between music use in these venues and copyright protections.
The charges, beneath the beneath Ministerial Decision No. (136) of 2026, will likely be collected by two Ministry-licensed our bodies, the Emirates Music Rights Affiliation and Music Nation, which handle the rights of composers, songwriters, singers, instrumentalists, file producers and music publishers. Licences granted to institutions will likely be legitimate for one yr and renewable, with price brackets decided by the character of use and the scale of the enterprise.
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Academic and educational establishments, authorities entities, nationwide occasions, and private, non-commercial celebrations will likely be exempt from the charges, together with some other classes the Ministry later decides to exclude.
Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Financial system and Tourism, stated the UAE positioned sturdy emphasis on strengthening the competitiveness of its music and artistic industries as a part of efforts to diversify the financial system. He described the information as a step in direction of an built-in system for governing copyright and associated rights within the nation, in step with the aims of the UAE Imaginative and prescient 2031.
The framework is meant to cut back copyright violations, standardise licensing charges and mechanisms, and permit licensees to observe compliance based on worldwide greatest observe.
Cultural fund for musicians
The information additionally establishes a “Cultural Help Fund within the Discipline of Music”, which can present monetary, technical and creative help for composition, manufacturing, distribution and dwell efficiency.
It goals to help rising expertise, together with kids, youth and folks of dedication, and to advertise Emirati music internationally by way of export help, cultural trade and participation in world festivals.
An announcement launched on Tuesday stated 10 per cent of whole charges collected will go towards the fund, which will likely be overseen by a joint committee from the Ministry of Financial system and Tourism and the Ministry of Tradition. The gathering our bodies will keep a separate checking account for the fund’s allocations.
Oversight and complaints
The Ministry stated it’ll monitor licensed collective administration entities for compliance with the UAE’s Copyright and Neighbouring Rights regulation, together with by way of area inspections and critiques of monetary and technical information. It would additionally deal with complaints from rights holders and different stakeholders over alleged violations, searching for to resolve disputes amicably or take regulatory motion the place vital. The Ministry retains the precise to amend licence phrases the place required by regulatory necessity or public curiosity, with licensees required to conform instantly.
