As Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine continues and more and more music companies have stopped doing business with the country, many songwriters, music publishers and especially the rights communities executives turned to CISAC, the global confederation of authors’ societies such as ASCAP and PRS. , to make a unilateral decision.
However, on Monday the organization announced that while it ‘deplores and condemns the war waged by the Russian government against the Ukrainian people’, it will leave those decisions to individual companies, although it will continue to develop a relief fund. for Ukraine, first announced on Wednesday.
“While abhorring the actions of the Russian armed forces, CISAC has no authority to impose sanctions on member societies based solely on the actions of their government,” the statement read in part. “The Russian authors, like their counterparts elsewhere, cannot be blamed for the preposterous actions of their government.”
“CISAC’s global network of authors’ societies deplores and condemns the war waged by the Russian government against the people of Ukraine,” the statement said. “Our whole community is working to help our creative colleagues and Ukrainian colleagues and to help the victims of war. On March 9, CISAC launched a global creative support campaign for Ukraine. It is run by a fund to help creators and refugees and to support the continued operation of Ukrainian authors’ societies. Another project, Songs for Ukraine, aims to promote Ukrainian repertoire on broadcast and digital platforms, in order to raise royalties for Ukraine’s war-ravaged creative community.
The statement then moves on to the decision not to unilaterally penalize Russia. “As far as CISAC members’ business relations with Russia are concerned, royalty flows between societies and Russian CMOs have already ceased due to financial and banking sanctions. After careful consideration, the CISAC Board has decided that each society should decide whether or not to maintain business relationships with Russian societies and what the terms of any relationship should be. As a global confederation representing 228 members in more than 120 countries, CISAC’s actions must balance and reflect many different viewpoints. While abhorring the actions of the Russian armed forces, CISAC has no authority to impose sanctions on member societies based solely on the actions of their government.
The statement concludes: “CISAC is passionately dedicated to supporting creators in Ukraine and exerting all possible pressure to stop Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. This action is an indefensible attack on innocent people and an assault on culture and creators everywhere, including those in Russia. The Russian authors, like their counterparts elsewhere, cannot be blamed for the preposterous actions of their government.
