On June 10, 1996, Kazakhstan adopted the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Copyright and Related Rights” to regulate copyright and related rights.
Shortly after the adoption of the law, it was established in 1997 by a group of creative intelligentsia, including writers, poets, composers, playwrights, as the Republican Public Association «Kazakhstan Authors’ Society» (KazAK), the Charter of which was registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan on September 4, 1998 . KazAK is the first CMO in Kazakhstan in the field of protection and representation of the interests of authors.
In December 1999, the activity of KazAK was recognized at the international level, and it became an associate member of CISAC, the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers, and on September 22, 2005 became its full member. Founded in 1926, CISAC is a non-governmental non-profit organization headquartered in France with regional offices in Africa, South America (Chile), Asia Pacific (China) and Europe (Hungary). CISAC is the world’s leading network of copyright societies. With 225 member societies in 116 countries, CISAC represents over 5 million artists from all geographic regions and all artistic repertoires; music, audiovisual, drama, literature and visual arts. CISAC protects the rights and promotes the interests of authors worldwide.”
KazAK is a non-profit CMO that is owned and controlled by its rightsholders. It holds accreditation from the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
KazAK is the only CMO in the territory of Kazakhstan that has a worldwide repertoire representation.
ROO «KazAK» has more than 80 bilateral representation agreements with Collective Management Organisations all around the world, including the American Public Organization for Copyright Protection (BMI), the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), the Swedish Performing Rights Society (STIM), the German Authors’ Society (GEMA), Italian Society of Authors and Editors (SIAE), the Spanish General Society of Authors and Editors (SGAE), the French Society of Music Authors, Composers and Publishers (SACEM) and many others.
KazAK is the only CISAC Member in Kazakhstan.
THE SUBJECT OF ACTIVITY OF KazAK: is the protection of property rights of domestic authors and performers both in Kazakhstan and abroad, the rights of foreign authors — in the territory of our country.
In its activities, KazAK is guided by the norms of the following legislative and by-laws:
• The Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• Civil Code, in particular Section 5 — Intellectual Property Law;
• Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan on public associations;
• Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan On Copyright and Related
According to the notification of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated August 18, 2017 No. 37: “In order to represent the interests of foreign authors, performers and producers of phonograms, it is necessary to conclude an agreement with an organization managing similar rights abroad.”
About us
The basic function KazAK is the management of property rights of authors – grant on behalf of authors of licenses to use their works, collection, distribution and payment of the collected remunerations. KazAK manages the rights of authors (their legal successors) on a collective basis in cases where their implementation in order individually is difficult (public performance, including on radio and TV, playing works by mechanical and magnetic recording, etc.), promoting the authors (their legal successors) in the transfer of rights for use of works of literature and arts on an individual basis
Protection of authors' rights
As well KazAK, both under applications of authors or its own initiative, is engaged in protection of the rights of authors by submitting of claims about collecting indemnifications for infringement of copyrights. One more subject of activities of KazAK is the protection of property rights of domestic authors both in the territory of Kazakhstan and abroad, as well as the protection of copyrights of foreign authors – in the territory of our country KazAK – is a member of CISAC, which unifies 221 Societies from 216 countries worldwide.
