CISAC Asia-Pacific Committee Meeting Holds in Macau

CISAC (International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers) which is an international organization that works closely with UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). CISAC’s member societies collectively administer the artistic works including music, drama, literature, visual arts around the world.

MACA (Macau Association of Composers, Authors & Publishers) has a partnership with CISAC since 2009 which enabled MACA the only association to manage the copyright collection in Macau. This year, CISAC and MACA hosted the CISAC Asia-Pacific Committee in Macau and CISAC’s director general Olivier Hinnewinkel and regional director of Asia-pacific hosted the meeting.

Association around the world joined the meeting, including MACA from Macau, ASCAP from America, APRA from Australia, PRS from England, MCSC from China, MUST from Taiwan, CASH from Hong Kong, KOMKA from Korea, JASRAC from Japan, FILSCAP from Philippines, MACP from Malaysia, COMPASS from Singapore, MCT from Thailand, IPRS from India, VCPMC from Vietnam, WAMI from Indonesia.

CISAC and associated members have been concerning about the development of MACA since it established in 2009, especially how MACA undertakes high-volume users of music such as some big corporations and broadcasting media. From annual meetings, CISAC knew that MACA met the difficulties in copyright licensing and management like other associations in developing countries.

CISAC and MACA first hosted a cocktail party in Morton’s of Chicago (Shop 1016, Casino Level, Venetian Macao Resort Hotel) at 6:00 p.m. on 11 Nov, 2013, gathering partners around the world and associate government departments and media to join the meeting.

In the cocktail party, MACA chairman Ung Kuoc Iang expressed his sincere thanks to
the Chief of Legal Affairs Division of Public Prosecutions Office, U Kam, representative from Department of Culture and Education of The Liaison office of Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Zhang Dong Hui, CISAC Director General Olivier Hinnewinkel and other representatives from around the world. MACA, as a copyright collective association in Macau has been doing its best to safeguard the rights of members. MACA is sure that creativity in Macau, in turn the city’s culture, will be encouraged and promoted if copyright is adequately protected. Local music scene can be diversified with bigger opportunities.

Regional director of Asia-pacific Benjamin Ng sang high praise for MACA’s work and felt positive for the copyright collective management in Macau. With the help from CISAC, MACA can reach the agreements with big and influential corporations. Local member of MACA, Ishii Yasuo said he was delighted to attend the cocktail party, getting to know more information about the local and global market.

The CISAC Asia-Pacific Committee Seminar will be held in Conrad Macao, Cotai Central at 3:00 p.m. on 12 Nov, 2013. Head of Department of Intellectual Property of Macao Economic Services Cheang Hio Man, head of Intellectual Property of Macao Custom Service Cheng Kin Chong, representative of Cultural Affairs Bureau Mr. Frankie Ho, attended the Seminar. The seminar was mainly about five topics which are “The Important Elements in the Legislation Concerning the Regulation of Copyright Collective Management”, “Practical Challenges of Copyright Collective Management in Macau”, “Best Practice on Music Public Performance Licensing”, “Best Practice on Documentation and Distribution of a Collective Management Organization”. 

APC Group Photo

Photo in the Meeting

Group photo in Cocktail party

Group photo in Seminar