About the Organization
OFA is an organization that collectively manages the copyright of all photographers. This means that the rights of both professional and amateur authors from all fields of photography are protected (documentary, daily political, sports, historical, fashion, artistic, cultural, and others not specifically listed here).
The Intellectual Property Office of Serbia, on July 16, 2013 (published in the Official Gazette of RS, number 67, dated July 31, 2013), issued a permit to OFA for the collective management of the property rights of authors in the field of photography, renewed on July 6, 2023 (decision on renewal of the permit), which relates to the right to collect fees from cable re-broadcasters for the re-broadcasting of photographs and two rights to a special fee (from photocopying shops – physical and legal entities who generate income from photocopying, and importers/manufacturers of photocopiers and similar reproduction technologies).
OFA members do not pay membership fees.
Aims of the organization:
- Realization of the property rights of photographers and holders of those rights;
- Depositing of copyrighted works in the field of photography;
- Political and legal protection of photographers (participation in legislative projects, actions and procedures for the protection of photographers’ rights);
Bilateral agreements
OFA has concluded agreements with related organizations, namely:
- VG Bild-Kunst – Bonn, Germany (an organization that protects only authors of photographs)
- OOAS – Prague, Czech Republic
- The Society Bildkupphovsprat i Sverige (BUS) – Stockholm, Sweden
- Graphiques et Plastiques ADAGP – Paris, France
- ALBAUTOR – Tirana, Albania
- BILDRECHT – Austrian agency for copyright protection
- VEGAP – Spanish organization for copyright protection
- AGADU – Montevideo, Uruguay
International agreements
- CISAC – Paris, France
An international organization that protects the rights of many authors and music authors worldwide; OFA is a member. - European Visual Artists EVA – Brussels, Switzerland
A European organization that protects the rights of visual arts authors; OFA is a member.