Monopolies
Copyright societies in the European Union (EU) usually hold monopolies in their respective national markets. Some countries create a statutory monopoly, while other recognize effective monopolies through regulations. In Austria, the Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers (Gesellschaft der Autoren, Komponisten und Musikverleger, AKM) has a statutory monopoly. German law recognizes GEMA as an effective monopoly, and as such, the burden of proof is on the accused infringer that a work is not managed by GEMA.
Read more about this topic: Copyright Law Of The European Union