Sena (Stichting ter Exploitatie van Naburige Rechten)

Sena (Stichting ter Exploitatie van Naburige Rechten) is the Dutch neighboring rights organization that collects and distributes remuneration for musicians and producers when their recordings are performed in public or broadcast on radio and television in the Netherlands. Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Hilversum, Sena was designated by the Dutch government under the Neighbouring Rights Act (Wet op de Naburige Rechten, WNR) to regulate the remuneration rights of all Dutch artists and record producers. Sena pays out royalties four times a year (at the end of March, June, September, and December) to registered musicians and producers. Since January 1, 2021, Sena also collects for repertoire from all countries that have signed the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT), including the United States. It is best suited for musicians (soloists, band members, session musicians, choir or orchestra members, conductors) and producers whose recordings have been performed in public or broadcast on radio and television in the Netherlands.

How Sena Works

Sena was established on June 29, 1993, when the Dutch government designated it under Article 15 of the Neighbouring Rights Act (WNR) to regulate the remuneration rights of Dutch artists and record producers. The WNR gives performers, film or record companies, and broadcasting organizations the right to remuneration when music released on a commercial basis is broadcast or performed in public, provided that fair compensation is paid.

Sena collects license fees from music users in the Netherlands, including businesses that play music in public (restaurants, bars, retail stores, venues), radio stations, television broadcasters, and online platforms. The collected fees are then distributed to performers and producers based on actual usage data from playlists and repertoire data in Sena's database.

The Collection and Distribution Process

1. Collection: Sena collects license fees from music users in the Netherlands under the WNR. This includes general licenses for businesses and specific licenses for broadcasters.
2. Identification: Sena compares the playlists of radio and TV stations with the repertoire data in its database. It also processes usage data from other sources.
3. Calculation: Sena calculates the correct remuneration for each registered musician and producer based on the actual usage of their recordings.
4. Distribution: Sena pays out royalties four times a year, at the end of March, June, September, and December. Royalties are paid if the net royalty is at least EUR 5.00.

The RAAP-PPI Ruling and Expanded Repertoire

A significant change occurred on January 1, 2021, as a result of the RAAP-PPI ruling by the European Court of Justice. This ruling led to a change in Dutch law that expanded the repertoire for which Sena collects. Before the change, only repertoire whose original master owner was based in a country that had signed the Rome Convention was protected for all forms of publication under Sena's mandate. After the change, repertoire from all countries that have signed the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT), including the United States, is also protected and must be represented by Sena.

This means more repertoire is protected, and Sena is obliged to impose a surcharge on music users (the RAAP-PPI surcharge) to cover the additional royalties owed to rightsholders from WPPT countries. For American musicians and producers whose recordings are played on Dutch radio, television, or in Dutch businesses, this change means they can now collect neighboring rights royalties through Sena (or through a partner organization like SoundExchange that has a reciprocal agreement with Sena).

Performers vs. Producers

Under the WNR, Sena distributes royalties to two categories of rightsholders:

• Performers: Musicians, singers, conductors, and other performers who contributed to a recording. This includes soloists, band members, session musicians, choir or orchestra members, and producers who also performed on the recording.
• Producers: Record companies or individuals who own the original master recording and released it on a commercial basis.

Half of the Dutch license fee income is allocated to the Performers section and half to the Producers section. These are distributed based on the distribution subregulations adopted by Sena's Board of Affiliates.

If you release your own music, you are both a musician and a producer. You should register with Sena twice: once as a musician and once as a producer. You will then receive remuneration as both a musician and a producer when your music is played on radio or television.

Social, Cultural, and Educational Fund

The Board of Affiliates is authorized to withhold up to 5% of Dutch license fee income for social, cultural, and educational purposes. The size of these expenditures is determined annually at the beginning of each financial year as part of the budget. General management costs are allocated pro rata to the Performers and Producers sections.

Membership and Fees

Who Can Register

Musicians, producers, intermediaries, and heirs can register with Sena free of charge if their music has been played in public and they are entitled to remuneration. You are a music creator if you have been involved in a record or CD recording or commercial download as a musician (soloist, band member, session musician, choir or orchestra member, or conductor) or producer.

Cost

Registration with Sena is free. Sena deducts administrative costs from the collected royalties before paying out to members. The exact administrative cost percentage is determined annually by the Board of Affiliates as part of the budget. This is standard practice for neighboring rights organizations.

How to Register

1. Visit sena.nl and create an account in MySena.
2. Register as a musician, producer, or both (if you release your own music).
3. Register your repertoire (the recordings you have performed on or produced).
4. Sena matches your repertoire to usage data from radio, TV, and public performance sources.
5. You receive quarterly payments when your net royalty is at least EUR 5.00.

Overhead Rate

Sena's overhead rate is not publicly disclosed as a single percentage. The organization deducts general management costs pro rata from the Performers and Producers sections, with the percentage determined annually by the Board of Affiliates. Additionally, up to 5% of Dutch license fee income may be withheld for social, cultural, and educational purposes. For comparison, most European neighboring rights organizations retain 5% to 15% of collected revenue as overhead.

Royalty Distribution Schedule

Sena pays out royalties four times a year:

Royalties are paid if the net royalty is at least EUR 5.00. Gross reserved amounts are listed in MySena behind each track in the repertoire overview. In MySena and the Sena app, members can view their current balance (the gross amount reserved for the next payment) at any time.

If a particular musician or producer is not yet registered with Sena, the organization reserves their remuneration for a maximum of three years. During that time, the rightsholder can register and claim their reserved royalties.

Reciprocal Agreements and International Collection

Sena has concluded agreements with a large number of foreign collective management organizations (CMOs) for claiming and paying out foreign royalties. This ensures that members receive the highest possible and most accurate claim when their music is played abroad. Sena works for musicians using two methods: a musicians working method and a producers working method.

For musicians whose recordings are played in the Netherlands but who are based in another country, Sena pays royalties to the CMO in their home country, which then distributes to the musician. For example, an American musician's recordings played on Dutch radio would generate royalties that Sena pays to SoundExchange (or another US CMO with a reciprocal agreement), which then distributes to the American musician.

Conversely, Dutch musicians whose recordings are played in other countries receive royalties through Sena's reciprocal agreements with the CMOs in those countries.

PRO Comparison Table

Real-World Example

A Dutch session guitarist has performed on 50 recordings over the past 10 years, ranging from pop singles to jazz albums. Several of these recordings receive regular airplay on Dutch radio stations like NPO Radio 2 and Radio 538. The guitarist also performs on recordings that are played in restaurants and retail stores in the Netherlands.

The guitarist registers with Sena as a musician (performer). They register their repertoire, listing each recording they performed on along with their role and contribution. Sena matches this repertoire to the playlists of Dutch radio stations and public performance data.

Each quarter, the guitarist receives a payment from Sena based on the actual airplay of their recordings. The amount varies depending on how often each recording was played. If a recording they performed on becomes a hit on Dutch radio, their quarterly payment increases accordingly.

The guitarist also registers as a producer for recordings they self-released, so they receive the producer's share of neighboring rights royalties in addition to the performer's share.

For recordings played in other European countries, Sena's reciprocal agreements with CMOs in those countries ensure the guitarist receives royalties from international airplay as well. Sena collects these international royalties on the guitarist's behalf and includes them in the quarterly payments.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

Neighboring rights royalties are one of the most overlooked revenue streams for independent artists. Unlike performance royalties (which go to songwriters and publishers), neighboring rights royalties go to performers and master recording owners. If you performed on a recording that is played on radio, television, or in public venues, you are owed neighboring rights royalties.

If you are based in the Netherlands, Sena is your primary neighboring rights organization. Registration is free, and you can register both as a performer and as a producer if you release your own music. The quarterly distribution schedule means you receive payments four times a year once your royalties exceed the EUR 5.00 minimum.

If you are based outside the Netherlands but your recordings are played on Dutch radio or television, you can collect your neighboring rights royalties through a partner organization in your home country. American artists can collect through SoundExchange, which has a reciprocal agreement with Sena. British artists can collect through PPL. German artists can collect through GVL.

For a complete guide to neighboring rights, read our guide on neighboring rights explained. For a comparison of all neighboring rights organizations, read our PRO comparison guide. Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your streaming earnings, and explore our PRO Directory for a full list of rights organizations worldwide.

Drawbacks and Things to Consider

• Netherlands-focused: Sena collects royalties for usage in the Netherlands. For usage in other countries, you rely on Sena's reciprocal agreements with foreign CMOs, which may not cover every territory.
• EUR 5.00 minimum: You only receive a payment if your net royalty is at least EUR 5.00. If your recordings receive minimal airplay, you may not reach this threshold each quarter.
• Three-year reservation limit: If you are not registered with Sena, your royalties are reserved for a maximum of three years. After that, unclaimed royalties may be redistributed. Register as soon as possible to avoid losing royalties.
• Repertoire registration required: You must actively register your repertoire (the recordings you performed on or produced). Sena cannot pay you for recordings it does not know you contributed to.
• Administrative costs deducted: While registration is free, Sena deducts administrative costs from collected royalties before distribution. The exact percentage is not publicly disclosed.
• Split between performers and producers: Only half of the collected fees go to performers and half to producers. If you are only a performer (not a producer), you only receive from the performers' share.
• Dutch language: While Sena has an English website, some documentation and communications may be in Dutch. Non-Dutch speakers may need assistance.
• WPPT surcharge for music users: Since 2021, Sena imposes a surcharge on music users to cover the expanded WPPT repertoire. This has increased license fees for Dutch businesses, which may face resistance to music licensing.

Compare Sena with Other Neighboring Rights Organizations

• PPL - UK neighboring rights organization
• SoundExchange - US digital performance rights organization
• GVL - German neighboring rights organization
• Full PRO Directory - Browse all performing and neighboring rights organizations

Related Resources

• PRO Directory - Browse performing rights organizations worldwide
• PRO Comparison Guide - Compare US and international PROs
• Best Royalty Collection Services for Independent Artists - Compare collection options
• Streaming Royalty Calculator - Estimate your streaming earnings
• Sena Official Website - Register and manage your account
• Sena FAQ for Music Creators - Frequently asked questions
• Sena Distribution Regulations (PDF) - Detailed distribution rules
• Sena Tariff Overview 2026 (PDF) - Current license tariffs