The USA ratified the WPPT in 2002. That makes US performers and producers eligible for neighbouring rights royalties from digital radio, streaming and simulcasting across Europe — the majority of all radio consumption today. Most have never registered. The money is sitting there.
The Legal Basis
The USA did not sign the 1961 Rome Convention — which is why many US artists assume they have no European neighbouring rights. That assumption is wrong for the most important category of use today.
Amazon Alexa, radio apps, DAB+, simulcast streams, webcasting. The USA ratified the WPPT in 2002. GVL's Wahrnehmungsvertrag explicitly covers all IP-based transmissions. US performers and producers have a full claim here — and this is now the majority of German radio consumption.
If a recording was first (or simultaneously) released in a Rome Convention country — the UK, Germany, France, or any EU territory — it qualifies for terrestrial broadcast royalties regardless of where it was recorded. This applies to virtually all Major Label releases, which publish simultaneously worldwide.
If a recording was both made and first released exclusively in the USA with no Rome Convention country involvement, terrestrial radio royalties at GVL are not directly accessible. However, licensing the rights to an EU entity such as Beat Box GmbH provides an eligible path to collection.
Case Study
The following is a real-world assessment we conducted for a major US pop artist. The artist has no GVL Wahrnehmungsvertrag. Broadcaster fees have been collected by GVL. They are sitting undistributed, subject to the 30 August 2026 hard deadline for the 2022 year.
German airplay across recent years is well-documented via MusicTrace / BVMI data. A major single generated strong rotation in 2022. A 2024 collaboration has been in sustained German top-100 airplay. A 2025 release is currently among the most-played tracks in Germany. The back catalogue continues to rotate consistently.
On eligibility: the USA ratified the WPPT in 2002. GVL's Wahrnehmungsvertrag explicitly covers IP-based transmissions — streaming apps, Alexa, simulcasting, webcasting, mobile radio — which now represent the majority of German radio consumption. GVL's monitoring does not separate terrestrial from IP delivery.
How Beat Box structures this
The artist sets up their own GVL account. Beat Box handles all German-language documentation, registration, retroactive declarations, and ongoing administration. GVL pays directly to the artist's account. Beat Box invoices a 20% service fee on distributions received. No rights transfer. No label involvement.
GVL Assessment · Major US Pop Artist
Illustrative · Based on public airplay dataEstimates based on publicly available MusicTrace / BVMI airplay data and GVL's published annual distribution volumes. Actual amounts determined by GVL's monitored broadcast minutes. The catalogue depth and current momentum suggest the position will grow considerably through 2025 and into 2026.
The Process
We analyse your catalogue against German and European airplay data and society records. Within 5–10 business days we tell you whether a meaningful recovery is likely — and an estimated range. Zero cost, zero obligation.
You set up your GVL account (we handle all German-language documentation). We register your catalogue, file retroactive declarations covering all open periods, and ensure correct ISRC linkage throughout.
Germany (GVL) is typically first. Once established, we extend to PPL (UK), SENA (Netherlands), SCPP (France), GRA (Sweden), GRAMO (Norway) and further societies based on your airplay footprint.
GVL and all other societies pay directly into your account. We provide a consolidated quarterly report across all markets. Our 20% service fee is invoiced only on actual distributions received.
Fee structure
No upfront cost. No retainer. If we collect nothing, you pay nothing. GVL pays directly to your account.
Why Beat Box specifically
Coverage
These are the primary European collecting societies holding undistributed neighbouring rights for US artists. All are accessible to US performers and producers — either directly via WPPT or through the EU licensing structure Beat Box provides.
+ 34 further societies covered depending on catalogue and airplay footprint.
Common Questions
No. The performer-side neighbouring rights are yours personally as the recording artist — they are separate from the label's phonogram producer share. Your label agreement does not cover this entitlement. GVL pays the performer share directly to you.
SoundExchange collects for digital performance royalties in the USA only. It does not reach European societies. GVL, PPL, SENA and others are entirely separate — and entirely separate amounts. Most US artists receive SoundExchange distributions but have zero European registration.
GVL operates a rolling distribution schedule. The 2022 distribution year closes permanently on 30 August 2026. The 2023, 2024 and 2025 years remain open. At PPL and SENA, retroactive claims can typically reach 5–6 years back depending on registration date.
No. GVL and other European societies pay to accounts in any major currency via international bank transfer. There is no requirement to be based in Europe or to have a European bank account.
Most US management and publishing administrators do not cover European neighbouring rights at all — it falls outside their standard mandates. We work alongside existing management teams and only handle the specific entitlement they are not covering.
GVL account setup typically takes 4–6 weeks once all documentation is submitted. We manage the entire process in German. Once registered, retroactive claims are filed immediately. First distributions typically follow within 2–3 quarterly cycles.
A preliminary assessment is free, takes 5–10 business days, and carries no obligation. We tell you whether a meaningful recovery is likely — before you commit to anything.
30+ years experience · 42+ collecting societies · €50M+ recovered · No cure, no pay