CISAC welcomes adoption of decree to implement private copying by Senegalese government

The Senegalese government has taken a significant step toward reinforcing the rights of creators by adopting a decree for the implementation of the remuneration for collection of private copying. This development, announced during the Council of Ministers session on October 16, 2024, marks a long-awaited milestone for the creative community in Senegal and the region, particularly authors, artists, and producers who have been calling for this measure for over a decade. 

The adoption of this decree follows several years of coordinated efforts led by CISAC in collaboration with other key stakeholders such as WIPO , IFRRO and Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie . CISAC and partners played an instrumental role in supporting the drafting and enactment of the UEMOA (West African Economic and Monetary Union) Directive on private copying remuneration, adopted in September 2023. The directive harmonizes the legal framework for the remuneration for private copying across UEMOA member states, and Senegal's decree is one of the first national legislations to transpose the provisions of this regional directive.

Since 2018, CISAC has been working alongside the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations, the International Organization of La Francophonie, and the World Intellectual Property Organization to raise awareness and mobilize stakeholders through regional seminars and consultations. These efforts culminated in the February 2024 seminar in Abidjan, where the details of the directive were shared, and strategies for its transposition into national laws were developed. 

The implementation of the private copying levy in Senegal is expected to have a significant impact on the country’s creative sector. It will provide substantial new revenue stream for creators while aligning the country with global best practices in copyright management, strengthening its cultural economy.

With Senegal now enacting its national decree, it sets a precedent for other UEMOA member states. According to the directive adopted in September 2023, all eight UEMOA member countries have until September 2025 to transpose the directive into their national legislation. Burkina Faso is currently the only other UEMOA country with a functional private copying system, but this directive paves the way for other nations to follow suit, establishing a uniform approach to private copying remuneration across the region.