French royalty collection society Sacem has entered into a major representation agreement with the Emirates Arts & Music Rights Association (EMRA), marking a significant milestone for music rights management in the United Arab Emirates.
EMRA became the first organization in the UAE to receive an official collective management license in April of last year, enabling it to legally collect and distribute royalties on behalf of music creators. The new collaboration with Sacem is being positioned as a transformative step toward building a structured and internationally aligned copyright ecosystem in the country.
According to Sacem, the agreement introduces a new era for protecting the rights of authors, composers, publishers, and other rights holders operating within the UAE’s growing creative sector. For the first time, creators working in the region will benefit from a centralized collective rights management system designed to ensure royalties are properly collected and distributed both domestically and abroad.
Operating as a non-profit organization, EMRA will reinvest regulated management fees back into services that support creators, reinforcing transparency and sustainability within the royalty collection process.
Building a Regional Rights Framework
Sacem, which represents one of the largest Arabic-language repertoires worldwide, has maintained a longstanding presence across Gulf markets. In the UAE, it has collaborated alongside global industry organizations including IFPI and UK-based rights body PPL to develop a customized framework covering both authors’ rights and neighbouring rights — an approach described as a regional first.
The partnership reflects the UAE’s increasing focus on the creative economy as a driver of innovation, cultural development, and economic diversification. By ensuring fair compensation for both Emirati and international creators, the initiative aims to encourage cross-border artistic collaboration while strengthening the country’s global cultural positioning.
Sacem CEO Cécile Rap-Veber stated that the agreement is the result of extensive discussions spanning several years. She emphasized that supporting efficient collective management organizations worldwide remains central to Sacem’s mission of promoting a fair and sustainable creative economy.
Rap-Veber noted that the UAE’s forward-looking approach to cultural infrastructure makes it a strategic environment for expanding professional rights management systems.
Aligning with International Standards
EMRA Chairman Adnan Al-Obthani described the collaboration as a key step toward integrating the UAE’s creative industries with global best practices. He highlighted the organization’s goal of reinforcing creators’ rights protections while positioning the country as a leading cultural hub in the Middle East.
The UAE music rights landscape has been evolving rapidly. Music Nation currently operates in the market licensing rights for authors, publishers, performers, and recording owners, supported by partnerships with organizations such as BMI and SoundExchange. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi-based ESMAA, launched by PopArabia in 2020, represents international societies including Canada’s SOCAN and the UK’s PRS for Music.
Sacem’s Global Expansion Continues
Sacem remains one of the largest collective management organizations globally, collecting royalties from digital platforms across nearly 200 territories. In 2024, the society distributed €1.379 billion to composers and publishers — a 12% year-over-year increase — while maintaining operational costs at a relatively low ratio of 10.8%.
During the same year, Sacem secured 16 additional strategic mandates, expanding partnerships with organizations such as Côte d’Ivoire’s Burida, India’s IPRS, and publisher Believe Sentric. These joined an extensive network that already includes major partners like Universal Music Publishing International, ASCAP, SOCAN, and KOMCA.
A Growing Creative Economy
The approval of EMRA’s license aligns with the UAE government’s Vision 2031 strategy, which aims to establish the country as a global creative hub through modern legislation and supportive regulatory frameworks.
Industry growth data reinforces this ambition. According to IFPI, the Middle East and North Africa region recorded the fastest global growth in recorded music revenues in 2024, rising by 22.8% year over year. Globally, recorded music revenues reached $29.6 billion, representing a 4.8% annual increase.
Government figures also show the expanding economic importance of culture, with creative industries contributing 3.5% of the UAE’s GDP in 2022 — equivalent to approximately 54.4 billion dirhams (around $14.8 billion).
As the UAE continues investing in creative infrastructure, the Sacem-EMRA partnership signals a broader shift toward stronger copyright protection, improved royalty transparency, and deeper integration with the international music ecosystem.
