Neighbouring Rights
Sena, the Dutch neighbouring rights organisation, has joined AFEM (Association for Electronic Music), marking a significant milestone as the first neighbouring rights organisation within the membership.
Sena (Foundation for the Exploitation of Neighbouring Rights) is the Dutch collective management organisation responsible for implementing the Neighbouring Rights Act, ensuring performers and producers receive fair remuneration when their music is played in public. This is a transparent process conducted on a not-for-profit basis and with the lowest possible overheads.
AFEM is the independent, not for profit, democratically run global trade association dedicated to connecting and representing the shared interests of companies and individuals across the electronic music industry. Its growing network of collective management organisations and rights holders includes BumaStemra, GEMA, PRS, SACEM, SGAE, SUISA and Unison. The addition of Sena further strengthens AFEM’s role in supporting the evolving rights, royalties and collections landscape, reflecting the increasing importance of this area within the global electronic music ecosystem.
Sena’s membership follows the organisation’s renewed commitment towards electronic artists, with a specific page for dance on their website explaining how the process of adding repertoire works. This genre-specific approach is part of their new customer journey, through which they aim to serve rightsholders as well and personally as possible.
Dominique Franken, Account Manager International with Sena:
“We’ve joined AFEM so that we can expand our network, in order to provide a fair remuneration to the performers and producers. By doing so, we draw attention to the story of neighbouring rights, specific for the dance sector. This also allows us, together with AFEM, to expand our contacts within this industry.”
Jay Ahern, Chief Strategy Officer, AFEM:
“From the first conversations with Dominique, it was clear that Sena’s approach strongly aligned with many of the broader creator education and rights awareness conversations happening across electronic music today. There is still a significant lack of understanding around neighbouring rights within our sector, particularly among emerging artists and independent creators. AFEM is very pleased to welcome Sena into the community and support greater awareness, dialogue and education around these important revenue streams and rights frameworks.”
As previously fringe conversations around fair distribution of revenue and the operational transparency of rights agencies move into the mainstream, AFEM’s growing membership in this space strengthens the association’s voice, bringing a nuanced and informed perspective to decision-making conversations at the highest levels.
ABOUT SENA
Musicians and producers receive this remuneration thanks to music licences that companies and organisations must obtain from us when they make music publicly available. As a non-profit organisation, we pay these collected funds to our rights holders as quickly as possible and at the lowest possible cost. This ensures that music creators receive what they are entitled to. We operate on the basis of the Neighbouring Rights Act. Sena stands for Stichting ter Exploitatie van Naburige rechten (Foundation for the Exploitation of Neighbouring Rights).
ABOUT AFEM
AFEM is an independent, not-for-profit, democratically run global trade association created to connect, and represent the common interests of, those companies and individuals whose business is Electronic Music.
The AFEM works in a way which reflects, promotes and preserves the best of electronic music culture and brings members together as a community, to solve issues and ensure a vibrant and successful future for our ecosystem.
Now in our 12th year, our global community spans more than 300 member organisations across over 40 countries and all industry sectors, representing tens of thousands of industry professionals, artists and DJs and reaching millions of electronic music fans across the globe.
Our membership combines industry veterans and household names, through to the next generation and future stars – all are united by their passion for the music, our industry and our desire to positively influence its development and make a better scene for all.
AFEM exists to ensure sustainable success for our industry and enable the vibrancy of its music to bring positivity, community and unity to millions around the world.