Applying for a licence to use television images

Does your company in the Netherlands show television or film images to employees or visitors? For example, in a communal area, hotel rooms, or business premises? Producers of footage own the copyright on their television programmes, videos, and films. You must pay a fee to the creators and producers for this.

You pay this fee by applying for a licence through one of the collective management organisations (collectieve beheerorganisaties, CBO's):

• Videma
• FilmService

The infographic Media licences and your company provides a quick overview of how this is regulated (pdf, in Dutch).

Licence to show television

Do you show film or television broadcasts to employees or visitors? You need to apply for a licence to Videma (in Dutch). The Videma licence gives you permission to show footage from:

• Dutch public and commercial broadcasting organisations
• foreign production companies affiliated with Videma (in Dutch)

You must pay a fee. The amount of the fee depends on how many hours of footage you show and the average number of people watching. Videma has industry-specific regulations for companies and organisations in a number of sectors. Check the rates per sector, for example for cafés and shops (in Dutch). Companies that are members of certain trade associations are eligible for discounts.

Please note: the Videma licence does not give permission to show footage from commercial pay-TV channels.

Licence to show films

Do you show films from a digital streaming or download service, or from physical media such as DVD or Blu-ray discs to employees or visitors? You need a licence from FilmService (in Dutch). You can choose between a standard licence or a plus licence (in Dutch). The plus licence allows you to publicly announce your show.

Some types of Videma licences may also grant you permission to show films as part of an agreement with FilmService.