Are you an associate of Sabam and do we manage your rights? Then the mechanical reproduction rights have to be paid, even if you release your own works on a sound carrier (self-production).

You may however be eligible for a copyright exemption (limited to a maximum of 1000 copies per catalogue number) if you meet the conditions below. There is also an administrative cost of € 50 (+ 21% VAT) per licence application.

• the author(s)/composer(s) is/are 100% owner of all works on the sound carrier;
• the applicant may not be a legal entity (non-profit association, private limited company,...);
• the manufacturing costs are entirely at the expense of the author(s)/composer(s);
• the works may not have been published at the time of the application;
• Sabam has no obligation to the publisher if the works are published AFTER the self-released production. The author(s)/composer(s) is/are in that case directly liable to the publisher if the latter claims the copyrights for the pressing concerned;
• the exemption only applies to authors/composers who are members of Sabam;
• the application of the exemption must be explicitly requested.