October 9, 1992
The revised Swiss Copyright Act (Federal Act on Copyright and Related Rights, CopA) is adopted. For the first time, rights are established for performing artists, producers of phonograms and audiovisual fixations and broadcasters. The Act, which entered into force on 1 July 1993, determines that only one organisations shall be responsible for the collective management of neighbouring rights (cf. Art. 42 para. 2 CopA).February 10, 1993
The Swiss Performers' Association SIG (now known as the Swiss Performers' Cooperative Society), IFPI Switzerland, the Swiss Association for feature and documentary film production (now known as the Swiss Film Producers' Association), the Swiss Association for commissioned film and audiovisual (now known as Swissfilm Association), IFPI Video and the Swiss Radio and TV Broadcasting Corporation (SRG) jointly found SWISSPERFORM in the form of an association to be the collective management organisation for neighbouring rights. The first Board of Directors includes Karl Knobloch (President), André Amsler (Vice President), Ernst Brem, Hans-Joachim Frick, Polo Hofer (represented by Karl Zbinden), Heinz Marti, Marianne Sonder Stauffer, Jack Dimenstein, Ossi Drechsler, Willi Egloff, Wadek Glowacz, Peter Vosseler, Dominique Diserens, Anna Mäder-Garamvölgyi and Jürg Seiberth. The Managing Director is Yvonne Burckhardt. Both individuals holding neighbouring rights and associations representing groups of right holders may become SWISSPERFORM members. The Association's structure was chosen to grant the right holders' groups a high degree of internal autonomy.October 1996
The distribution rules, established by the Expert Committees are approved by the supervisory authority, the IPI, and in 1997, remuneration is paid out to the right holders for the very first time.1994
SWISSPERFORM collects the first tariff-based fees.2004 and 2005
The distribution system for performers is being changed. Until then, there was a distribution based on the remuneration (fee) received by the performers for the production of audio and audiovisual recordings and for broadcasts. A new distribution based on use has been introduced, i.e. one based on radio and TV broadcasts. This leads to a substantial increase in the number of performers being paid.
March 5, 2009
At an extraordinary Delegates' Assembly, a major revision of the Articles of Association prepared by the Board of Directors is approved. In the revised Articles of Association, the membership of associations is abolished, the Board of Directors is increased by two members and the latter and the Expert Committees are interlinked more closely.November 2020
The distribution system for the phonogram producers has been changed into a use-related (according to radio airplay) as well as turnover-related system. The new system enters into force with retroactive effect as per the distribution year 2017. Hence, in the future it is possible to conclude reciprocity agreements with foreign sister societies that provide a reciprocal exchange of remunerations.From 2021
2021 SWISSPERFORM initiated an operational analysis to modernise the association. Guidelines principles were drawn up for our company, which define our mission, vision and core values. In addition, three fundamental basic principles were defined to guide the implementation of the strategy: «Mindset as a service provider», «Business orientation» and «Digital first». Based on these – goals and sub-goals were defined – as well as more than 60 specific measures to be implemented over the next few years. These measures relate to various thrusts such as communication and reporting, leadership, processes, digitalisation and organisation.
From January 2025
At the Ordinary Delegates’ Assembly on June 19, 2024, SWISSPERFORM delegates voted in favor of a fundamental reform of the company’s bodies, known as the «5plus» variant. The elections to the Board of Directors and the Presidency required for its implementation took place at an extraordinary delegates’ assembly on October 23, 2024. The new structure came into effect January 1, 2025.
The main element of the new structure was the reduction in the number of board members. The old Board of Directors had 17 members: three representatives from each of the five expert committees, plus the President and Vice-President.
The new Board of Directors was constituted as follows:
• one representative from each of the five Expert Committees,
• each Expert Committee may delegate one person as an assessor to the Board of Directors (without voting rights),
• the President,
• a Vice-President is appointed in turn from among the five Expert Committees,
• one or two independent members may be elected to the Board of Directors (not belonging to any of the five Expert Committees).
You can find the current organization here.
