This comprehensive study, commissioned by AEPO-ARTIS and authored by Benoît Michaux, provides a critical analysis of performers’ rights within international and European legal frameworks. Focusing on both legal principles and practical challenges, the report examines existing protections under instruments such as the Rome Convention, WPPT, and the Beijing Treaty, alongside EU directives including 2001/29/EC and 2011/77/EU. Through comparative legal analysis and concrete policy proposals, the report argues for a harmonized and performer-centered approach to EU copyright reform—one that secures fair compensation, ensures legal clarity, and empowers collective management. In essence, the study makes a strong case that current frameworks do not adequately reflect performers’ contributions to the cultural and creative economy, and that structural legal change is essential to correct this imbalance.

Performers’ Rights in International and European Legislation: Situation and Elements for Improvement