"Through the Global Dialogue on Cross-Border Copyright Royalty Governance in the Digital Era, we seek to encourage the establishment of common rules and systems so that copyright royalties, which are increasingly flowing across national borders, can be recorded, calculated, and distributed in a more transparent, accountable, and fair manner," said Indonesian Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas after opening the Global Dialogue on Cross-Border Copyright Royalty Governance in the Digital Era at The Patra Hotel Bali on Wednesday, October 7, 2026.

The dialogue, initiated by the Government of Indonesia through the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP), is being held from October 7 to 9, 2026. More than 28 countries are actively involved in the forum, which brings together member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), two intergovernmental organizations, five collective management organizations, industry experts, creators, and other stakeholders.

"When creative works can be enjoyed in different countries through digital platforms, royalty governance must also be able to keep pace with these developments. Transparency, accountability, and interconnected systems are needed to ensure that the economic rights of creators are protected," he said.

According to Supratman, cross-border royalty issues are not solely related to copyright rules, but also to coordination among institutions and the connectivity of information systems. Indonesia is therefore encouraging international dialogue to bring together the experiences and practices of different countries without disregarding their respective national legal frameworks.

"This forum provides a space to build a common understanding and explore practical cooperation. The goal is to ensure that creators and rights holders receive economic benefits more fairly from the use of their works in the digital environment," he explained.

Director General of Intellectual Property at the Ministry of Law Hermansyah Siregar said that cross-border royalty issues are more closely related to informationexchange than to copyright law. Incomplete ownership data and metadata, as well as differences between systems, can make it difficult to match the use of works with their rights holders.

"Friction in cross-border royalties is rarely a dispute over copyright law. The main challenge is the exchange of information," Hermansyah said.

According to Hermansyah, these issues can arise from the registration of works and reporting of usage to the metadata-matching process that connects usage reportswith rights holders. When identifiers for works are unavailable, the calculation, distribution, and reconciliation of royalties become increasingly complex.

Data from the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) show that royalty collections by creators' rights management organizations worldwide reached EUR13.97 billion, or approximately Rp278 trillion, in 2024. Of this amount, EUR5.14 billion, or approximately Rp103.16 trillion, representing around 37 percent, came from digital use. However, these collections remain concentrated in Europe and North America.

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