Vietnam’s Culture Ministry Addresses Business Music Copyright Fee Collections Amid Overlapping Charges

Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has provided clarification regarding the collection of music copyright royalties from businesses, amid growing concerns over multiple organizations demanding fees from the same venues. The Ministry’s statement came during its regular second-quarter press conference held on July 15, where representatives addressed copyright-related questions within their jurisdiction.

Deputy Head Pham Thanh Tung of the Department of Management and International Cooperation on Copyright and Related Rights, under the Copyright Office of Vietnam, emphasized that the obligation for businesses to pay royalties for music use is longstanding, having been established under the Intellectual Property Law since 2005.

Responding to reports that restaurants, coffee shops, and similar establishments have faced demands for fees from several organizations simultaneously, Deputy Head Pham explained that each collective management organization currently represents different groups of copyright holders. This situation results in overlapping fee collections.

He referenced Government Decree No. 134/2026/ND-CP, which amends provisions of Decree No. 17/2023/ND-CP concerning copyright implementation. The decree encourages collective management organizations to authorize a single entity to collect fees on behalf of all rights holders to simplify the process for users. However, since these arrangements are civil in nature, state authorities cannot mandate such consolidation.

A representative from the Copyright Office of Vietnam further stressed the importance of transparency. Authorized organizations must publicly disclose their repertoire of works, the copyright owners they represent, and the scope of their authority. Entities collecting fees beyond their authorization or lacking transparency will face legal consequences.

To address the issue of fragmented fee collection, the Copyright Office is actively promoting cooperation among key organizations, including the Vietnam Center for Protection of Music Copyright, the Recording Industry Association of Vietnam, and the Vietnam Association for Rights Protection of Music Performing Artists. These groups are working to develop a shared database encompassing copyright and related rights information.

Once this database is operational and synchronized, it is expected that these organizations could appoint a single representative to handle fee collection for music used in business activities, thereby reducing the burden on businesses and minimizing overlapping charges.

This initiative aligns with the Ministry’s broader efforts to balance the protection of copyright holders’ rights with the practical needs of businesses that utilize music in their operations.

The Ministry’s clarification aims to reassure businesses of their legal responsibilities while highlighting ongoing reforms to improve the collective management of music copyrights in Vietnam.