Extended collective licenses allow the use of many works at the same time — including works of rights holders who do not have a management agreement with ProLitteris.
ProLitteris may grant such licenses if the statutory requirements according to Art. 43a CopA are fulfilled.
To date, ProLitteris offers an extended collective license for the following uses:
The extended collective licenses enable uses in new areas without the need to revise the Copyright Act. ProLitteris supports this statutory instrument in the interest of rights holders and users.
If works are created with AI, then according to the general rule in copyright law they are protected and eligible for royalties only if an original, individual human creation is expressed.
What is decisive is not a specific AI share, but the personal creative contribution of one person or of several people working together. If AI is merely used as a tool and a human being substantially shapes the result, then in most cases there is a protected work. If, on the other hand, AI takes over the creation without any recognizable individual human shaping, then no work arises within the meaning of the Copyright Act and there is no copyright protection, and ProLitteris does not distribute any royalty for this product.
By declaring a work with ProLitteris, you as author or publishing house confirm:
In addition, you must ensure that a work does not infringe any third-party rights and that the use of artificial intelligence does not occur in a way that prevents a work from coming into being.
ProLitteris relies on the information and confirmation provided by rights holders and can carry out inspections at any time. ProLitteris monitors the development of technology and the use of AI and comments on it regularly.
For your works to be taken into account, two conditions must be met: your authorship and the nature of the work under copyright law.
Your work must be an individual human creation. Content without its own creative contribution is not admissible, such as purely AI-generated results or texts and images that have been taken over in full or for the most part from third-party sources.
ProLitteris can request evidence from you in order to verify your authorship and the quality as a work. In addition, random checks are carried out to ensure the accuracy and admissibility of the declarations.
ProLitteris offers licenses under the Common Tariffs (CT) in the name of all collecting societies.
These include the royalty for copying in schools and organizations (Common Tariffs 7 and 8), for renting in libraries and video rental stores (Common Tariff 5), and for uses by people with disabilities (Common Tariff 10).
In these cases, ProLitteris is responsible, in the name of all domestic and foreign collecting societies, for collecting and distributing the royalties.
In addition, ProLitteris grants contractual licenses. In these cases, specific works are licensed upon request from the licensees.
You can obtain a contractual license from ProLitteris if you wish to do the following:
With a license from ProLitteris, you keep copyright under control. In return for a transparent and moderate royalty, you ensure that no rights of authors, artists, photographers, publishing houses, and other rights holders are infringed.
ProLitteris grants extended collective licenses (ECL) for the internal use of artificial intelligence with services such as Copilot, Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude or Apertus.
As a rights holder, user or licensee, you can obtain information on copyright from ProLitteris at any time.
ProLitteris helps to ensure that fair framework conditions also exist in the field of artificial intelligence.
Pure AI outputs are not works within the meaning of the Copyright Act (URG). However, products that were created with AI are protected by copyright if they constitute a human intellectual creation with an individual character.
This is the case:
In addition, so-called related rights can arise in an audio (sound carrier) or video (audiovisual carrier).
If you work with AI, it is advisable to document your own creative contribution. This way you can later prove that a protected work exists.
In the view of legal experts and in the assessment of ProLitteris, training AI systems with protected works requires the consent of the rights holders.
The question is the subject of court proceedings abroad. At the same time, statutory solutions are being discussed in order to clearly regulate the use of works for AI systems and to provide appropriate royalties.
In this situation, ProLitteris offers an extended collective license (ECL) so that companies can use internal AI systems in a legally secure way.
You can explicitly state on your website that the training of AI systems is only permitted with your consent. This makes your position clear and documents your rights.
Possible wording includes:
The practical benefit is currently limited, because the legal situation is unclear and AI systems often do not take such statements into account.
AI systems allow protected works to be uploaded to an AI application in order to translate, summarize, or analyze them.
In the opinion of ProLitteris, this processing requires consent. Such consent exists in the personal sphere and in teaching, because the Copyright Act defines a corresponding freedom of use (Art. 19 para. 1 let. a and b CopA). For companies, there is no such statutory permission—there is only one for reproductions for internal information and documentation.
For you, this means: When you upload texts, images, music, or other protected content to an AI, you use these works under copyright law.
For companies, ProLitteris offers an extended collective license (ECL). Instead of obtaining individual consents from rights holders, the ECL from ProLitteris covers internal systems such as Copilot.
Enforcing copyrights against artificial intelligence is difficult. ProLitteris supports adapting the Copyright Act to strengthen rights and clarify uses.
In the view of ProLitteris, the law would provide protection, but it encounters practical limits in the case of international uses. In addition, ProLitteris does not hold the rights to bring legal action itself against AI services.
Extended collective licenses allow the use of many works at the same time — including works of rights holders who do not have a management agreement with ProLitteris.
ProLitteris may grant such licenses if the statutory requirements according to Art. 43a CopA are fulfilled.
To date, ProLitteris offers an extended collective license for the following uses:
The extended collective licenses enable uses in new areas without the need to revise the Copyright Act. ProLitteris supports this statutory instrument in the interest of rights holders and users.
Extended collective licenses allow the use of many works at the same time — including works of rights holders who do not have a management agreement with ProLitteris.
ProLitteris may grant such licenses if the statutory requirements according to Art. 43a CopA are fulfilled.
To date, ProLitteris offers an extended collective license for the following uses:
The extended collective licenses enable uses in new areas without the need to revise the Copyright Act. ProLitteris supports this statutory instrument in the interest of rights holders and users.
If works are created with AI, then according to the general rule in copyright law they are protected and eligible for royalties only if an original, individual human creation is expressed.
What is decisive is not a specific AI share, but the personal creative contribution of one person or of several people working together. If AI is merely used as a tool and a human being substantially shapes the result, then in most cases there is a protected work. If, on the other hand, AI takes over the creation without any recognizable individual human shaping, then no work arises within the meaning of the Copyright Act and there is no copyright protection, and ProLitteris does not distribute any royalty for this product.
By declaring a work with ProLitteris, you as author or publishing house confirm:
In addition, you must ensure that a work does not infringe any third-party rights and that the use of artificial intelligence does not occur in a way that prevents a work from coming into being.
ProLitteris relies on the information and confirmation provided by rights holders and can carry out inspections at any time. ProLitteris monitors the development of technology and the use of AI and comments on it regularly.
For your works to be taken into account, two conditions must be met: your authorship and the nature of the work under copyright law.
Your work must be an individual human creation. Content without its own creative contribution is not admissible, such as purely AI-generated results or texts and images that have been taken over in full or for the most part from third-party sources.
ProLitteris can request evidence from you in order to verify your authorship and the quality as a work. In addition, random checks are carried out to ensure the accuracy and admissibility of the declarations.
ProLitteris offers licenses under the Common Tariffs (CT) in the name of all collecting societies.
These include the royalty for copying in schools and organizations (Common Tariffs 7 and 8), for renting in libraries and video rental stores (Common Tariff 5), and for uses by people with disabilities (Common Tariff 10).
In these cases, ProLitteris is responsible, in the name of all domestic and foreign collecting societies, for collecting and distributing the royalties.
In addition, ProLitteris grants contractual licenses. In these cases, specific works are licensed upon request from the licensees.
You can obtain a contractual license from ProLitteris if you wish to do the following:
With a license from ProLitteris, you keep copyright under control. In return for a transparent and moderate royalty, you ensure that no rights of authors, artists, photographers, publishing houses, and other rights holders are infringed.
ProLitteris grants extended collective licenses (ECL) for the internal use of artificial intelligence with services such as Copilot, Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude or Apertus.
As a rights holder, user or licensee, you can obtain information on copyright from ProLitteris at any time.
ProLitteris helps to ensure that fair framework conditions also exist in the field of artificial intelligence.
Pure AI outputs are not works within the meaning of the Copyright Act (URG). However, products that were created with AI are protected by copyright if they constitute a human intellectual creation with an individual character.
This is the case:
In addition, so-called related rights can arise in an audio (sound carrier) or video (audiovisual carrier).
If you work with AI, it is advisable to document your own creative contribution. This way you can later prove that a protected work exists.
In the view of legal experts and in the assessment of ProLitteris, training AI systems with protected works requires the consent of the rights holders.
The question is the subject of court proceedings abroad. At the same time, statutory solutions are being discussed in order to clearly regulate the use of works for AI systems and to provide appropriate royalties.
In this situation, ProLitteris offers an extended collective license (ECL) so that companies can use internal AI systems in a legally secure way.
You can explicitly state on your website that the training of AI systems is only permitted with your consent. This makes your position clear and documents your rights.
Possible wording includes:
The practical benefit is currently limited, because the legal situation is unclear and AI systems often do not take such statements into account.
AI systems allow protected works to be uploaded to an AI application in order to translate, summarize, or analyze them.
In the opinion of ProLitteris, this processing requires consent. Such consent exists in the personal sphere and in teaching, because the Copyright Act defines a corresponding freedom of use (Art. 19 para. 1 let. a and b CopA). For companies, there is no such statutory permission—there is only one for reproductions for internal information and documentation.
For you, this means: When you upload texts, images, music, or other protected content to an AI, you use these works under copyright law.
For companies, ProLitteris offers an extended collective license (ECL). Instead of obtaining individual consents from rights holders, the ECL from ProLitteris covers internal systems such as Copilot.
Enforcing copyrights against artificial intelligence is difficult. ProLitteris supports adapting the Copyright Act to strengthen rights and clarify uses.
In the view of ProLitteris, the law would provide protection, but it encounters practical limits in the case of international uses. In addition, ProLitteris does not hold the rights to bring legal action itself against AI services.
If works are created with AI, then according to the general rule in copyright law they are protected and eligible for royalties only if an original, individual human creation is expressed.
What is decisive is not a specific AI share, but the personal creative contribution of one person or of several people working together. If AI is merely used as a tool and a human being substantially shapes the result, then in most cases there is a protected work. If, on the other hand, AI takes over the creation without any recognizable individual human shaping, then no work arises within the meaning of the Copyright Act and there is no copyright protection, and ProLitteris does not distribute any royalty for this product.
By declaring a work with ProLitteris, you as author or publishing house confirm:
In addition, you must ensure that a work does not infringe any third-party rights and that the use of artificial intelligence does not occur in a way that prevents a work from coming into being.
ProLitteris relies on the information and confirmation provided by rights holders and can carry out inspections at any time. ProLitteris monitors the development of technology and the use of AI and comments on it regularly.
For your works to be taken into account, two conditions must be met: your authorship and the nature of the work under copyright law.
Your work must be an individual human creation. Content without its own creative contribution is not admissible, such as purely AI-generated results or texts and images that have been taken over in full or for the most part from third-party sources.
ProLitteris can request evidence from you in order to verify your authorship and the quality as a work. In addition, random checks are carried out to ensure the accuracy and admissibility of the declarations.
ProLitteris offers licenses under the Common Tariffs (CT) in the name of all collecting societies.
These include the royalty for copying in schools and organizations (Common Tariffs 7 and 8), for renting in libraries and video rental stores (Common Tariff 5), and for uses by people with disabilities (Common Tariff 10).
In these cases, ProLitteris is responsible, in the name of all domestic and foreign collecting societies, for collecting and distributing the royalties.
In addition, ProLitteris grants contractual licenses. In these cases, specific works are licensed upon request from the licensees.
You can obtain a contractual license from ProLitteris if you wish to do the following:
With a license from ProLitteris, you keep copyright under control. In return for a transparent and moderate royalty, you ensure that no rights of authors, artists, photographers, publishing houses, and other rights holders are infringed.
ProLitteris grants extended collective licenses (ECL) for the internal use of artificial intelligence with services such as Copilot, Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude or Apertus.
As a rights holder, user or licensee, you can obtain information on copyright from ProLitteris at any time.
ProLitteris helps to ensure that fair framework conditions also exist in the field of artificial intelligence.
Pure AI outputs are not works within the meaning of the Copyright Act (URG). However, products that were created with AI are protected by copyright if they constitute a human intellectual creation with an individual character.
This is the case:
In addition, so-called related rights can arise in an audio (sound carrier) or video (audiovisual carrier).
If you work with AI, it is advisable to document your own creative contribution. This way you can later prove that a protected work exists.
In the view of legal experts and in the assessment of ProLitteris, training AI systems with protected works requires the consent of the rights holders.
The question is the subject of court proceedings abroad. At the same time, statutory solutions are being discussed in order to clearly regulate the use of works for AI systems and to provide appropriate royalties.
In this situation, ProLitteris offers an extended collective license (ECL) so that companies can use internal AI systems in a legally secure way.
You can explicitly state on your website that the training of AI systems is only permitted with your consent. This makes your position clear and documents your rights.
Possible wording includes:
The practical benefit is currently limited, because the legal situation is unclear and AI systems often do not take such statements into account.
AI systems allow protected works to be uploaded to an AI application in order to translate, summarize, or analyze them.
In the opinion of ProLitteris, this processing requires consent. Such consent exists in the personal sphere and in teaching, because the Copyright Act defines a corresponding freedom of use (Art. 19 para. 1 let. a and b CopA). For companies, there is no such statutory permission—there is only one for reproductions for internal information and documentation.
For you, this means: When you upload texts, images, music, or other protected content to an AI, you use these works under copyright law.
For companies, ProLitteris offers an extended collective license (ECL). Instead of obtaining individual consents from rights holders, the ECL from ProLitteris covers internal systems such as Copilot.
Enforcing copyrights against artificial intelligence is difficult. ProLitteris supports adapting the Copyright Act to strengthen rights and clarify uses.
In the view of ProLitteris, the law would provide protection, but it encounters practical limits in the case of international uses. In addition, ProLitteris does not hold the rights to bring legal action itself against AI services.
You check whether an action affects third-party copyrights by clarifying four questions:
If you check these points, you can assess whether copyrights are affected and how to act correctly.
Copyright today protects both authors and the use of their works in an increasingly digital world.
For you, this means: when someone creates a work, this person decides whether and how it will be used — and can request a royalty for it.
Copyright fulfills several functions:
In this way, copyright places the people who create and distribute content at the center.
This is particularly relevant today: new technologies such as AI / artificial intelligence present existing rules with new challenges. Copyright ensures that fair conditions for creative work exist even in this environment.
You can contact ProLitteris for an extended collective license (ECL) if you are planning to use numerous works.
The application cases for an ECL from ProLitteris include in particular:
An extended collective license (ECL) requires that the use does not impair the normal management of the rights.
Internal AI systems such as Copilot are not covered by the statutory license (CT 8), because their use goes beyond merely copying and making content available internally.
Extended collective licenses can provide companies with a legal basis for using protected content in internal AI systems.
If your AI data contains copyright-protected works, the statutory license for personal use (e.g. according to CT 8) is not sufficient.
You essentially have two options:
The statutory license allows you to:
These uses are covered by the copying levies according to CT 8.
For you, this means: As soon as protected content is used in internal AI systems, you need an additional legal basis. One possible solution is the extended collective license according to Art. 43a CopA, which can cover such uses in the future.
ProLitteris is designing a license for internal AI uses with the following conditions:
This license is intended to enable you to use internal AI systems in compliance with the law without having to clarify every single use of a work.
The extended collective license for internal AI uses is intended to help operate AI applications in a legally compliant way that are in any case used in practice.
Companies receive a clear basis to comply correctly not only with data protection, but also with copyright. Today, there is legal uncertainty in many companies.
The use of AI is not automatically permitted under current law. If protected content is used, consent or a license is required.
With the AI license, ProLitteris creates a practical solution for everyday business. It makes it possible to use internal AI systems without having to clarify each individual use of a work.
ProLitteris is in dialogue with companies in Switzerland on this and is further developing the model based on the experience gained.
ProLitteris is a collecting society and ensures that authors and publishing houses receive a royalty for the use of their works.
A central area of activity is statutory royalties. On behalf of all Swiss collecting societies, ProLitteris manages the Common Tariffs:
In these areas, ProLitteris collects the royalties in its own name and distributes them to the rights holders.
In addition, ProLitteris operates three areas of voluntary collective management:
For you, this means: ProLitteris bundles rights, licenses uses, and ensures that royalties are distributed efficiently and transparently.
ProLitteris connects rights and uses.
In this way, the collecting society ensures:
To this end, ProLitteris collects copyright royalties and distributes them to the rights holders entitled to them.
In addition, ProLitteris is involved through two foundations:
If you have questions about copyright, ProLitteris also supports you with legal advice.
Collecting societies ensure that the use of protected works earns a royalty.
For you, this means: when your works are used, collecting societies take care of collecting the corresponding royalties and passing them on to you.
They bundle rights centrally and act on behalf of various rights holders, including:
The basis for this is the Copyright Act (URG).
You can find more information at Swisscopyright and on the websites of the individual collecting societies.
In Switzerland, there are five collecting societies, each responsible for different categories of works.
They include:
For you, this means: Depending on the type of your work, a different collecting society is responsible.
The Swiss collecting societies cover Switzerland and Liechtenstein. For uses abroad, they work together with partner societies.
ProLitteris fulfills social and cultural purposes through two of its own foundations.
For you, this means: part of the income is specifically used for support and promotion.
Both foundations have their own foundation board and are subject to state supervision.
Collecting societies are subject to federal supervision by two authorities.
For you this means: The activities of ProLitteris are regulated by law and monitored.
The responsible authorities are:
If you do not agree with a decision by ProLitteris, you can first appeal to the supervisory board. Contact the executive management via customer service. In parallel, you can also turn to the IPI, provided that mandatory collective management is involved.
ProLitteris distributes copying levies and other royalties in two steps.
First, ProLitteris forwards shares to other collecting societies in Switzerland and abroad. This ensures that rights holders outside Switzerland are also correctly taken into account.
Subsequently, the main distribution to rights holders with a management agreement takes place. This includes in particular:
For you this means: your royalty is distributed according to clear rules, even when uses take place internationally.
Cooperative membership with ProLitteris gives you participation rights and access to social benefits.
For you, this means:
Important: If you only take out cooperative membership at a later point, your retirement pension may be reduced.
Cooperative membership is only possible together with a management agreement. Both the membership and the management agreement are free of charge for you.
Management means that the use of a protected work is subject to a royalty.
For you, this means: If someone uses your work, this generally gives rise to a claim to a sum of money.
These royalties:
In collective management, a collecting society like ProLitteris takes on this task. It ensures that royalties are collected and distributed according to clear and transparent rules.
In practice, copyrights are managed in different ways.
For you this means: you fundamentally decide yourself how your works are used and whether you involve a collecting society.
There are three main forms:
In all cases, management takes place on the basis of contracts or statutory provisions that determine how your works are used and what royalty you receive.
MyCopyright is a service that allows you to mark a file with a digital seal and a timestamp and deposit it with ProLitteris.
You create evidence that allows you to prove later that a specific file existed at a specific point in time.
The procedure comprises:
Proof is provided by a certificate that can be produced at any time. Together with your deposited file, this provides evidence that attests to the identity and temporal existence of an idea, a work, or a file.
The principle is similar to a sealed document that is deposited with a bank or a notary’s office. ProLitteris, together with a technical partner, is responsible for the digital sealing and safekeeping.
You can secure almost any electronic files, regardless of whether they are protected by copyright or not.
The MyCopyright service is operated and further developed by ProLitteris together with its partner Swiss Trust Layer.
Ideas, drafts, and data are created before a work is published.
At this early stage, the question often arises: "How can I later prove that my idea was created today, that it is authentic and unaltered, and that it was documented by me?"
With this service, ProLitteris is, for the first time, not only dealing with copyrights, but also with the question of how they can be proven.
The technology developed in the Canton of Schwyz by the company Swiss Trust Layer makes securing evidence possible. Files (texts, images, sketches, concepts, and other documents) can be deposited securely with ProLitteris.
When uploading, a cryptographic hash of the file is generated and provided with an encrypted timestamp. Swisscom stores the hash based on statutory requirements.
The client can produce a certificate at any time that proves the existence, time, origin, and integrity of the file.
The deposit for works and drafts functions as a digital safeguarding system for your files. You can assign a timestamp and encryption to works, drafts, or ideas and deposit them with ProLitteris.
The deposit is supplemented with specific declarations by the person who deposits the file.
The process is simple:
This creates reliable evidence. You can later prove that a specific file existed at a specific point in time and is attributed to you.
Use of the service is voluntary and independent of the management of your rights or the payment of royalties.
Important for you: MyCopyright serves to provide evidence under copyright law and supports you in legally protecting your creative work.
You can present the certificate together with the original file at any time. It serves as proof that your file existed at a certain point in time and is attributed to you. With MyCopyright, you improve the possibility of presenting evidence in copyright law.
Important: The service is not a requirement for copyright protection or for participating in the distributions of ProLitteris.
In addition to the MyCopyright service, the company Swiss Trust Layer, in coordination with ProLitteris, is developing additional services for the deposit and use of files.
These include developments for personal documents (e.g. diplomas for applications and employment, inheritance law documents, health documents), for professional and business documents (e.g. contract versions, construction documents, marks and trade dress for goods and services, price-sensitive stock exchange announcements) or for documents in regulated markets (e.g. pharmaceuticals, healthcare).
ProLitteris is further developing MyCopyright step by step to provide you with comprehensive support in the use and protection of your works.
In a next development stage, ProLitteris is planning functions that directly support you in dealing with copyrights, for example:
Additionally, a quality label is planned. This confirms the authenticity of content, for example for media material or translations, based on the sealing and deposit.
For you, this means that MyCopyright is evolving from a pure deposit service into a comprehensive platform for proof, use and management of your works.
ProLitteris provides information on copyright law, but no individual legal advice.
This means for you: you receive general statements that fit a question and a situation. With our chat function, you can also ask specific questions. What is not possible for our legal experts is to address specific circumstances, documents and individuals, unless they concern the activities of ProLitteris.
For further concerns, it is best to contact:
In our public articles and newsletters, we regularly publish recommendations and tips on how to deal with copyrights and on licensing practice.
MyCopyright is a service that allows you to mark a file with a digital seal and a timestamp and deposit it with ProLitteris.
You create evidence that allows you to prove later that a specific file existed at a specific point in time.
The procedure comprises:
Proof is provided by a certificate that can be produced at any time. Together with your deposited file, this provides evidence that attests to the identity and temporal existence of an idea, a work, or a file.
The principle is similar to a sealed document that is deposited with a bank or a notary’s office. ProLitteris, together with a technical partner, is responsible for the digital sealing and safekeeping.
You can secure almost any electronic files, regardless of whether they are protected by copyright or not.
The MyCopyright service is operated and further developed by ProLitteris together with its partner Swiss Trust Layer.
Ideas, drafts, and data are created before a work is published.
At this early stage, the question often arises: "How can I later prove that my idea was created today, that it is authentic and unaltered, and that it was documented by me?"
With this service, ProLitteris is, for the first time, not only dealing with copyrights, but also with the question of how they can be proven.
The technology developed in the Canton of Schwyz by the company Swiss Trust Layer makes securing evidence possible. Files (texts, images, sketches, concepts, and other documents) can be deposited securely with ProLitteris.
When uploading, a cryptographic hash of the file is generated and provided with an encrypted timestamp. Swisscom stores the hash based on statutory requirements.
The client can produce a certificate at any time that proves the existence, time, origin, and integrity of the file.
The deposit for works and drafts functions as a digital safeguarding system for your files. You can assign a timestamp and encryption to works, drafts, or ideas and deposit them with ProLitteris.
The deposit is supplemented with specific declarations by the person who deposits the file.
The process is simple:
This creates reliable evidence. You can later prove that a specific file existed at a specific point in time and is attributed to you.
Use of the service is voluntary and independent of the management of your rights or the payment of royalties.
Important for you: MyCopyright serves to provide evidence under copyright law and supports you in legally protecting your creative work.
You can present the certificate together with the original file at any time. It serves as proof that your file existed at a certain point in time and is attributed to you. With MyCopyright, you improve the possibility of presenting evidence in copyright law.
Important: The service is not a requirement for copyright protection or for participating in the distributions of ProLitteris.
In addition to the MyCopyright service, the company Swiss Trust Layer, in coordination with ProLitteris, is developing additional services for the deposit and use of files.
These include developments for personal documents (e.g. diplomas for applications and employment, inheritance law documents, health documents), for professional and business documents (e.g. contract versions, construction documents, marks and trade dress for goods and services, price-sensitive stock exchange announcements) or for documents in regulated markets (e.g. pharmaceuticals, healthcare).
ProLitteris is further developing MyCopyright step by step to provide you with comprehensive support in the use and protection of your works.
In a next development stage, ProLitteris is planning functions that directly support you in dealing with copyrights, for example:
Additionally, a quality label is planned. This confirms the authenticity of content, for example for media material or translations, based on the sealing and deposit.
For you, this means that MyCopyright is evolving from a pure deposit service into a comprehensive platform for proof, use and management of your works.
ProLitteris Newsletter
Stay informed about copyright and cultural funding.