site.btaSpanish Society of Authors, Publishers Raises Concerns Over Copyright Protection in Bulgaria

The Spanish Society of Authors and Publishers (SGAE) has sent a letter to Spain's diplomatic representatives in Bulgaria, warning that the country continues to lag behind in copyright protection. The lack of an effective legal framework and enforcement mechanisms results in significant losses not only for Bulgarian authors but also for international creators, according to MUSICAUTOR, the Bulgarian organization for copyright management.

SGAE's letter highlights that Bulgaria's inadequate copyright protection deprives rights holders of fair compensation for the use of their works and violates international agreements to which both Spain and Bulgaria are signatories.

Representing more than 140,000 authors and composers in Spain, SGAE expressed growing concern over the systemic obstacles MUSICAUTOR faces in collecting royalties due to dysfunctional regulations and weak enforcement. Among the most serious issues are prolonged and unproductive negotiations over tariff setting due to inefficient legal procedures, leading to frozen payments for creators. Additionally, copyright violations in tourism and commercial establishments remain widespread—only 10% of business owners pay licensing fees for music usage, while the majority exploit intellectual property without compensation, MUSICAUTOR said.