Resale royalty news: International reciprocity extended to a further nine countries
March 19, 2025
Under the Resale Royalty Scheme, visual artists are entitled to a five per cent share on eligible resales of their original works valued at $1,000 or more in Australia, and the ability to access the schemes in participating countries when their works are resold there.
As of 31 March 2025, international reciprocity will be extended to Estonia, Greece, Lithuania, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Uruguay. This takes the list of total participating countries to 26.
The extension delivers on the Government’s commitment outlined in the National Cultural Policy, Revive, to enhance the scheme to provide royalty payments to artists, including First Nations artists, under international arrangements.
The Resale Royalty Right for Visual Artist Act 2009 provides visual artists with royalty rights similar to other creators such as songwriters or authors, who are remunerated each time an album or book is purchased.
What does reciprocity mean for artists?
The resales of your work overseas follows the Resale Royalty Right as it operates in the prescribed reciprocating country, and Copyright Agency will provide you with the resale information and the royalty payment.
View the list of reciprocating countries below.
What does reciprocity mean for art market professionals?
The reporting requirements will remain the same. You’ll continue to provide Copyright Agency with reports for all resales with a sales value of $1,000 (including GST) or more.
The criteria for a resale to be eligible for royalty is unchanged, that is:
- the work sold for $1,000 incl GST or more;
- the work being sold was acquired by the seller after the start of the scheme on or after June 9, 2010;
- the artist is alive or deceased no more than 70 years from the end of the year of death; and
- the artist (or their beneficiary) is a citizen or permanent resident of Australia or a national or citizen of a reciprocating country.
See below for the full list of reciprocating countries and the date they were prescribed in legislation.
Reciprocating countries:
As at 31 March 2024:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Hungary
- Italy
- Ireland
- Latvia
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Portugal
- Spain
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
As at 31 March 2025:
- Estonia
- Greece
- Lithuania
- Mexico
- New Zealand
- Poland
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Uruguay
If you have any questions, please contact resale@copyright.com.au