U.S. Performers Gain Global Reach as AFM & SAG-AFTRA Fund, SoundExchange, and Romanias CREDIDAM Sign Reciprocal Agreement

A new partnership is set to broaden the global earning potential for American performers. On Thursday, the AFM & SAG‑AFTRA Fund, SoundExchange, and Romania’s CREDIDAM announced a reciprocal agreement that will allow U.S. singers and musicians to collect royalties when their recordings are broadcast or performed abroad.

The AFM & SAG‑AFTRA Fund, created by the American Federation of Musicians and the Screen Actors Guild‑American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, distributes digital performance royalties to eligible singers and musicians regardless of union status. SoundExchange, a non‑profit collective rights manager spun off from the RIAA in 2003, is the largest global neighboring‑rights organization, reporting more than $13 billion in digital performance royalties distributed to over 800,000 creators worldwide.

CREDIDAM, Romania’s collective rights organization, manages neighboring rights for performers in the country. It collects and distributes royalties for the use of recordings on television, radio, cable, cinema, and public venues such as restaurants, hotels, bars, and discos under mandatory collective‑management law.

The joint statement released by the three parties explains that the new arrangement will route U.S. performers’ royalties earned in Romania—and other CREDIDAM territories—back to the appropriate U.S. rights holders. The Fund will represent non‑featured performers, while SoundExchange will handle featured artists.

This deal follows a similar partnership announced in December between SoundExchange, the AFM & SAG‑AFTRA Fund, and the Indian Singers And Musicians Rights Association (ISAMRA). That earlier agreement aimed to secure royalties for performers when their music is played across India and the United States.

The significance of neighboring rights in Romania is underscored by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s 2023 report, which found that performance‑rights collections accounted for more than 54 percent of the country’s music revenue. By tapping into that market, U.S. performers can now capture a share of the revenue generated by their recordings in Romania.

For creators, the agreement provides a clearer path to collect royalties from foreign broadcasts and public performances. It also aligns with a broader industry trend toward cross‑border royalty collection, as collectives increasingly pursue reciprocal agreements to streamline payments and reduce administrative overhead.

The partnership does not alter the existing domestic royalty collection systems in the United States. U.S. performers will continue to receive payments through the Fund and SoundExchange as before; the new arrangement simply adds an international reciprocity layer. When a U.S. recording is broadcast in Romania, the performer’s royalties will be routed through CREDIDAM and then paid to the appropriate U.S. rights holder.

While the joint statement outlines the framework of the reciprocal relationship, it does not yet detail the exact mechanisms for data exchange, payment schedules, or dispute resolution. The parties have indicated that further specifics will be developed in collaboration with their respective member organizations.

In short, the AFM & SAG‑AFTRA Fund, SoundExchange, and CREDIDAM have formalized a reciprocal agreement that expands the international reach of U.S. performers’ royalties. Building on prior agreements with ISAMRA, the partnership reflects a broader industry move toward global royalty‑collection networks. Creators and rights holders can expect the new arrangement to become operational in the coming months, with additional procedural information to be released by the involved collectives.