Distributions

Online distribution – stabilization at around CHF 10 million

For the Online distribution, which ProLitteris carries out as part of the main distribution in September, a similarly high amount of around CHF 10 million is expected. In order to maintain the relation to the Print distribution, the basic royalty is being reduced. In a subsequent step from 2027 onwards, the extent of texts (number of characters) will be weighted more strongly and the dissemination (number of accesses) less strongly. The Online distribution is the system of ProLitteris that provides royalties for texts and images on the internet, because they are copied and disseminated internally by schools, libraries and organizations of all kinds. These uses are relevant under copyright law. But for practical and legal reasons, they cannot be exploited individually with consents and license agreements. ProLitteris solves this problem as a central collective management organization.

04/27/2026

For the system to work, it needs tariffs and distribution rules.

Tariffs: ProLitteris has negotiated the royalties for the Common Tariffs 5, 7 and 13 with representatives of the users and will submit the new tariffs to the Federal Arbitration Commission for the Exploitation of Copyrights and Related Rights (ESchK). They will enter into force on 01.01.2027. The tariff for organizations (CT 8) will follow one year later.
Distributions: Statutory royalties of one year are distributed by ProLitteris in the following year. First with shares to other collective management organizations in Switzerland and abroad and to certain news agencies. The main distribution then follows annually in September. The distribution rules and their application are continuously reviewed and approved by the board of ProLitteris.

With the following measures, ProLitteris ensures in the area of the main distribution that the royalties are appropriate.

First: The basic royalty was set with the launch of the Online distribution for a minimally eligible text. Currently, this value corresponds to CHF 6.12. The calculation is based on an estimate of the value of a published text page with or without images. ProLitteris can adjust the amount of the basic royalty to the revenue available for the Online distribution. For the usage year 2025, a basic royalty of CHF 5 is planned.

Second: With a measure that will take effect later, ProLitteris keeps pace with the growing volume of publications and rightsholders and with the technical developments in artificial intelligence. For this purpose, the calculation formula of the Online distribution will be adjusted with effect from the usage year 2027. In future, the number of accesses will only be taken into account with the cube root. The number of characters, on the other hand, will no longer be reduced. Example: A text with 10000 accesses (previously 100 points) and 2500 characters (previously 50 points, total 5000 points) will in future have 25000 points (accesses 10 points multiplied by characters 2500 points). As before, the royalty amount of around CHF 10 million will be divided by the total points, after which the royalty per work will be calculated and distributed 50% each to the publishing house and the author(s). With this measure, widely disseminated short texts will receive slightly less royalty, and longer texts with lower dissemination will receive more royalties. Together with the already known «payment factor», the fourfold counting of paid accesses, this measure is also an opportunity for copyable content in work categories outside journalism (science, teaching material etc.). The application to the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property for approval will be submitted in May 2026. The revision of the distribution rules contains further improvements. Whether a later revision will require additional measures will be examined separately. One such reason could be artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence is used today for all work categories, and ProLitteris implements the copyright conditions for protection as a work and for obtaining a royalty as effectively as possible. The executive management and the board deal continuously with these developments.