Who Manages Copyright in Romania ? Understanding the Role of Collective Management Organizations
Beyond public authorities such as ORDA and OSIM, the protection of copyright and related rights in Romania relies on the work of collective management organizations. These are non-profit structures set up by rights holders, which collectively administer the rights of their members – from collecting royalties to distributing them. In Romania, under the supervision of ORDA, several such organizations operate, corresponding to different categories of creators and rights holders.
Why collective management is needed
For many creators, it is practically impossible to individually track every use of their works – on radio, on television, in public spaces, online or through reproduction. Collective management solves this problem: the organization negotiates, collects and distributes the royalties due, while at the same time offering users a simple and lawful framework for using the works. This ensures both respect for creators' rights and orderly public access to culture.
The main organizations in Romania
Each organization covers a specific field of rights:
- COPYRO – manages the rights of authors of written works (the literary field).
- UCMR-ADA – manages the rights of authors in the musical field (composers, lyricists).
- VISARTA – manages the rights of authors in the visual arts field (fine arts, photography, visual design).
- UPFR – the Union of Phonogram Producers of Romania, manages the related rights of phonogram producers.
- CREDIDAM – manages the related rights of performers (musicians, actors, dancers).
In addition, other collective management organizations are registered in Romania, covering fields such as the rights of producers of audiovisual works or other categories of rights holders. In total, their activity is monitored by ORDA, which periodically reviews the transparency and fairness of their management.
The link with consumer protection
Although collective management primarily concerns the relationship between creators and users, it also has a public-interest dimension. A functioning collective management system discourages piracy and the illegal use of works, thereby supporting a lawful cultural market in which consumers have access to authentic content. At the same time, respect for copyright is closely linked to the fight against pirated products, a central concern for InfoCons.
The role of InfoCons
InfoCons works to ensure that the collective management system and the regulatory framework operate for the balanced benefit of creators, users and consumers. Through its work at national level – including within the Working Group on Intellectual Property Matters coordinated by the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice – and through its information campaigns, InfoCons promotes respect for copyright and public awareness of the importance of the lawful consumption of cultural content.
InfoCons, a voice for consumers in international forums
InfoCons is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO, the only consumer protection organization in Romania accredited within this international forum. This official recognition places Romania on the global map of organizations that contribute to the international dialogue in the field of intellectual property. Through its participation in WIPO meetings and working groups, InfoCons promotes consumer interests and supports policies that encourage innovation and the fight against counterfeiting.
At European level, InfoCons is an active member of the EUIPO Observatory – the European Union Intellectual Property Office – with an important role within the Civil Society Working Group. At national level, the organization has been part, since 2006, of the Working Group on Intellectual Property Matters, coordinated by the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice. This involvement on three levels – national, European and international – gives InfoCons a complete perspective on the counterfeiting phenomenon.
The organization's commitment translates into concrete actions: European projects dedicated to young people, large-scale awareness campaigns and an innovative app that puts information within reach of every consumer. All of these share a common denominator: the conviction that respect for intellectual property rights and consumer protection are two sides of the same coin.
In this context, the presence of InfoCons at the Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, through its President Sorin Mierlea, is a natural continuation of nearly two decades of work dedicated to defending consumer interests in the field of intellectual property.
From information to action: the role of the InfoCons app
InfoCons' objective is not only to provide access to information, but also to empower consumers through digital innovation. The InfoCons app – a unique, innovative application – gives them practical tools to identify risks and actively contribute to a safer and more transparent marketplace. Through a simple barcode or QR code scan, consumers can access relevant information about products, right in front of the shelf.
One of the key features is the alerts section, which makes it possible to verify whether a product is subject to official safety alerts issued at European level, for both food and non-food products. The app provides information on the product name, the country concerned, the level of risk, the country of origin, the date the alert was published and an image of the product. At the same time, through dedicated functionalities, citizens can report products or services that may infringe intellectual property rights through counterfeiting or piracy.
Available in 33 languages, the app helps to disseminate consumer protection and intellectual property awareness messages at European and international level. Its educational dimension promotes informed choices and a culture based on responsibility, transparency and originality.
The presence of InfoCons at the Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, through its President Sorin Mierlea, is a concrete demonstration of how digital innovation can support respect for intellectual property rights and protect consumers in Romania and around the world.
Intellectual property and the everyday consumer
Intellectual property is often perceived as a technical subject reserved for lawyers and large companies. In reality, it is present in the life of each of us, every single day. The trademark on a product tells us who made it and guarantees a certain standard of quality; patents make it possible for new medicines, technologies and innovative solutions to emerge; copyright rewards the work of those who create cultural and educational content. When these rights are infringed through counterfeiting or piracy, the first to suffer is often the consumer.
Counterfeit products mean not only economic losses for companies and public budgets, but also a real danger to people's health and safety. Counterfeit toys, cosmetics, car parts, medicines or electronics can endanger consumers' lives, precisely because they are made without respecting quality and safety standards. In an increasingly digital economy, where online commerce erases borders, these risks multiply, and the need for accurate, rapid information becomes essential.
That is precisely why InfoCons has developed a unique and innovative consumer protection app that allows people to check products before buying them, consult European safety alerts and report products suspected of counterfeiting or piracy. Through this digital tool, every consumer becomes an active partner in the shared effort to make the marketplace safer, more transparent and fairer.
InfoCons' participation in the Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the Member States of WIPO, through its President Sorin Mierlea, is part of this steady commitment: bringing the voice of Romanian and European consumers to the world's foremost intellectual property forum and turning global debates into concrete protection for citizens.
Signature: InfoCons Consumer Protection and Intellectual Property Department