Navigating the complexities of the EU’s Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market has been daunting for many publishers.

While some publishers initially have struggled to comply without a hefty administrative burden, many visionary publishers across Nordics and Europe have used the directive as an opportunity to lift their digital ways of working and engage with their authors at a more strategic level, enhancing relationships and improving cooperation.

In today’s digital landscape, leveraging innovative tools like Schilling’s Author Portal is a key competitive element in the publishing industry. By turning the challenge of compliance into an opportunity for streamlining operations and reinforcing author relationships, our portal paves the way for publishers to focus more on creative and strategic pursuits.

Understanding the directive’s core aims
The directive from 2019 that had to be implemented by 2021 requires publishers to communicate clearer and with set frequency with authors about financial and contractual matters.

Article 19 of the Copyright Directive establishes authors’ rights to information and transparency. The purpose of the directive is to help authors accurately identify the financial value of their rights and how their works are used. To achieve this, authors need access to information that is up to date, relevant to the utilisation of their works, and which covers all relevant sources of revenue (including merchandising). Publishers must provide authors with details at least once a year about how their works are used, earned revenues, and how much they are entitled to receive in royalties.

Regional interpretations and their impact
Article 19 is currently interpreted and implemented with many variations around Europe. These differences pose a challenge for publishers who operate within multiple jurisdictions, which highlights the need for a unified solution that addresses the diverse requirements. Local publishers need a solution that ensures compliance and reduces time-consuming administration.

Schilling Author Portal transforms compliance to strategic advantage
Schilling’s Author Portal is designed to transform compliance from being a cumbersome obligation into a strategic advantage, with features such as:
• Real-time data: Authors access up-to-date information about the use of their works at any time.
• Multi-region compliance: Tailored to meet both EU-wide directives and specific national laws.
• Customisable reporting: Adaptable to meet the specific legal requirements of various countries.
The solution not only makes compliance easier but also significantly enhances the operational efficiency of publishing businesses and brings the engagement with authors to a new level.

Automation paves the way
Traditional methods of managing rights and royalties are often fraught with inefficiencies and prone to errors. By automating these processes and leveraging the information flow to include continuous reporting to authors, publishers can:
• Lessen administrative burdens: Automation reduces the time and resources spent on manual data entry and report generation.
• Enhance accuracy and compliance: Automated systems help maintain precision in data management and ensure adherence to varying regional regulations.
• Scale effortlessly: As your publishing operations expand, using automated solutions helps publishers keep pace with growing demands, without increasing overhead costs.

Are you still struggling to comply with EU transparency requirements?
Schilling’s author portal was lauched in 2019 and is the market leading author portal for publishers. Since launch we have gained extensive experience implementing author engagement services with publishers.

Are you ready to change the way you manage compliance and engage with your authors? Let us give you a demonstration of our Author Portal so you can see firsthand how our automated solution can revolutionise your publishing business, enhancing both compliance and author relationships.

Read more about our Author Portal or request a demo.