Guides
Music publishing in France
How music publishing actually works in France: who claims which rights, what the national copyright system does, and what it takes for a publisher to set up and collect.
Who claims which rights
Performance and mechanical: SACEM (with SDRM for reproduction licensing). Sync: direct.
Copyright registration in France
Automatic under Berne; no registration system. French practice relies on contracts and the society's records; some publishers use notarial or SACEM deposit for evidence.
Setting up to claim publishing rights
SACEM admits foreign publishers directly: the requirement is proof that at least four works are commercially exploited, with an admission fee of about €300. The practical catch is operational, not legal — French registrations, statements, and correspondence assume French-language administration, which is why many foreign publishers still appoint a French sub-publisher even though direct membership is open.
The societies
SACEM — each linked page covers the society’s history and how registrations reach it.
Check a CWR file free — errors and warnings tied to the exact line, nothing stored: cwrcheck.com.