SOKOJ (Organisation of Music Authors of Serbia) is Serbia's non-profit collective management organization for music authors, founded in 1950 and headquartered in Belgrade. It represents over 12,000 domestic songwriters, composers, lyricists, arrangers, and music publishers, and manages rights for more than 4.5 million foreign authors through reciprocal agreements with copyright societies worldwide. SOKOJ licenses public performance, broadcasting, reproduction, and mechanical rights for musical works of all genres.
How SOKOJ Works
SOKOJ issues licenses to radio stations, television networks, streaming services, live concert venues, restaurants, retail stores, and any business that uses music publicly in Serbia. License fees are collected and distributed to rights holders based on usage data from broadcast logs, streaming reports, concert set lists, and sales reports.
SOKOJ distributes royalties on an annual cycle. Domestic royalties (from broadcasting, concerts, physical media sales, and other sources) are paid in May or June of the following year, after the Assembly approves annual reports. The exact payment date for each year is announced on the SOKOJ Member Portal. Individual calculations are provided to authors, who have 60 days to submit complaints from the date of receipt.
Foreign royalties are paid after the relevant foreign CMO completes its calculation processing. SOKOJ distributes these based on usage data supplied by the foreign organization and the full income received. The fees collected and distributed by foreign organizations are subject to the laws and practices of the country of collection.
SOKOJ operates under a license from the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Serbia and is the only entity in Serbia authorized to collectively exercise the rights of all authors and copyright holders in musical works, regardless of whether they have a contract with SOKOJ. Authors who do not wish to be part of the collective system must explicitly opt out.
The organization is a member of CISAC since 1956 and follows CISAC standards for documentation, distribution, and data management. SOKOJ also implements a Quality Management System certified under ISO 9001:2015 and an Information Security Management System compliant with ISO/IEC 27001:2013.
SOKOJ published its 2025 Annual Report, and in 2026 the organization participated in the Internet Dialogue 2026 conference and attended the CISAC General Assembly in Paris, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the international confederation.
Real-World Example
A Serbian songwriter joins SOKOJ and registers 15 songs. A Belgrade radio station plays 8 of those songs in regular rotation, a streaming service reports 300,000 streams, and a live concert at a Belgrade venue features 5 of the songs in its set list.
SOKOJ collects royalties from all three sources. The radio royalties are allocated based on airplay logs. The streaming royalties are allocated based on stream counts reported by the digital service. The live concert royalties are allocated based on the set list submitted by the concert organizer.
If the same songs are played on streaming platforms in Germany, SOKOJ's reciprocal agreement with GEMA means GEMA collects those royalties and remits them to SOKOJ, which pays the songwriter after completing the foreign CMO's calculation processing. The songwriter can also report international usage directly to SOKOJ using the Application form for the use of musical works abroad, sent to international@sokoj.rs.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
If you are a Serbian songwriter, composer, lyricist, or publisher, SOKOJ is the dominant collective management organization in Serbia. You do not need a contract with SOKOJ to have your rights exercised, since SOKOJ is authorized by law to collectively manage rights for all music authors in Serbia unless they explicitly opt out. However, signing a contract with SOKOJ registers you in the international database of authors so that foreign CMOs can identify you and collect royalties for your works used abroad.
Register every composition with SOKOJ before commercial release. The deadline for registering works for royalty payments is 60 days from the end of the accounting period. Submit accurate metadata including ISRC codes, ISWC numbers, and split sheets. Incomplete documentation will not be used as a basis for distribution until all required data is provided.
If your music is performed internationally, report that usage to SOKOJ using the international usage application form. SOKOJ's reciprocal agreements with foreign societies mean your music earns royalties globally, but you must ensure your works are registered so international performances are tracked.
SOKOJ's membership in CISAC since 1956 connects Serbian creators to a network of 230 societies across 121 countries. This global reach is particularly relevant for Serbian artists whose music crosses borders, including Balkan pop, folk, and electronic music with growing international audiences.
Territory Covered
SOKOJ administers copyright for musical works within Serbia. Its licenses cover public performance, broadcasting, public communication, reproduction, and mechanical rights for musical works of all genres within Serbian territory. Through over 100 reciprocal representation agreements with foreign copyright societies, SOKOJ also facilitates collection of royalties for Serbian members when their works are used abroad, and represents foreign societies' repertoires (covering more than 4.5 million foreign authors) within Serbia.
How to Join and Membership Fees
SOKOJ membership is open to composers, lyricists, arrangers, and other copyright holders in musical works, as well as legal entities that have acquired copyright in musical works. The membership process requires:
- Signing a contract with SOKOJ that exclusively assigns pecuniary rights in musical works to the organization
- Registering works with complete metadata including ISRC codes, ISWC numbers, and split sheets
- Submitting all required documentation for the international database of authors
Under Serbian law, SOKOJ is authorized to collectively manage rights for all music authors in Serbia regardless of whether they have a contract with SOKOJ. Authors who do not wish to be part of the collective system must explicitly opt out by notifying SOKOJ in writing. However, signing a contract with SOKOJ registers the author in the international database of authors so that foreign CMOs can identify and collect royalties for their works used abroad.
Specific membership fees are not published in SOKOJ's publicly available English-language materials. The organization operates as a non-profit entity under license from the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Serbia.
Overhead Rate
SOKOJ's administrative cost deduction is determined by the Managing Board as part of the General Calculation for each accounting period. According to SOKOJ's Distribution Plan, the total collected fees (excluding VAT) are distributed to authors and other rights holders after deduction of administrative costs, deductions for cultural and social benefits, and other possible deductions.
Based on publicly available financial data, SOKOJ's operational costs were approximately EUR 2.7 million in 2017, representing approximately 20% of the total collection fund. The financial plan for 2018 forecasted the cost share to increase to approximately 22.5%. More recent overhead rates are not publicly disclosed in SOKOJ's English-language materials. The organization reported total revenue of approximately 2.3 billion RSD (approximately EUR 19.6 million) in 2023.
Royalty Distribution Schedule
SOKOJ distributes royalties on an annual cycle:
- Domestic royalties (from broadcasting, concerts, physical media sales, and other domestic sources) are paid in May or June of the following year, after the Assembly approves annual reports. The exact payment date for each year is announced on the SOKOJ Member Portal.
- Foreign royalties are paid after the relevant foreign CMO completes its calculation processing. SOKOJ distributes these based on usage data supplied by the foreign organization and the full income received.
Individual calculations are provided to authors, who have 60 days to submit complaints from the date of receipt. The deadline for registering works for royalty payments is 60 days from the end of the accounting period (February 29 or March 1 of the current year for the previous year's royalties).
Reciprocal Agreements
SOKOJ has been a CISAC member since 1956 and a BIEM member. The organization maintains over 100 reciprocal representation agreements with foreign copyright societies, covering more than 4.5 million foreign authors (the entire world music repertoire). Specific reciprocal agreements include relationships with:
- GEMA (Germany) for collection of Serbian members' royalties in Germany
- SUISA (Switzerland) for collection in Swiss territory
- PRS for Music (United Kingdom) for collection in UK territory
- STIM (Sweden) for collection in Swedish territory
- SACEM (France) for collection in French territory
- ASCAP, BMI, SESAC (United States) for collection in US territory
- Over 90 additional bilateral agreements with CMOs worldwide
These agreements enable SOKOJ to collect royalties for Serbian creators when their music is performed, broadcast, or streamed internationally, and to represent foreign societies' repertoires within Serbia.
Notable Members
SOKOJ represents over 12,000 domestic music authors across all genres, including composers, songwriters, lyricists, arrangers, and music publishers. The organization does not publish a comprehensive public list of notable members. Serbian composers and songwriters whose works are managed through SOKOJ's repertoire include creators across folk, pop, rock, electronic, and classical genres. Some authors have chosen to exercise their rights individually and have notified SOKOJ of their decision to opt out of the collective system, as permitted under Serbian law.
SOKOJ's membership includes creators of Balkan pop, folk, and electronic music with growing international audiences, as well as classical and contemporary composers whose works are performed in Serbia and abroad.
Comparison Table
| Feature | SOKOJ | OSA | HDS-ZAMP | GEMA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Territory | Serbia | Czech Republic | Croatia | Germany |
| Join Fee | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosed |
| Overhead Rate | ~20% (2017 data) | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosed | ~15% |
| Distribution Frequency | Annual | Quarterly | Quarterly | Quarterly |
| Founded | 1950 | 1919 | 1949 | 1903 |
| CISAC Member | Yes (1956) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Videos
Similar PROs
- OSA - Czech performing rights organization, another European CMO with CISAC membership
- HDS-ZAMP - Croatian music rights organization, covering a neighboring Balkan territory
- GEMA - German collecting society, with a reciprocal agreement with SOKOJ
- STIM - Swedish performing rights society, with a reciprocal agreement with SOKOJ
Related Resources
- Performing Rights Organizations (PRO) - What a PRO is and how it functions
- Performance Royalties - How performance royalties are generated and collected
- Mechanical Royalties - How mechanical royalties differ from performance royalties
- Blanket License - The licensing model used by SOKOJ
- Collective Management Organization (CMO) - How CMOs operate globally
- SOKOJ Official Website - Visit SOKOJ for membership and licensing information
- Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital earnings
