RECOVERY GUIDE
International royalties — what exists beyond the US
Every system this hub covers has a foreign twin: other countries have their own PROs, their own mechanical societies, and their own neighboring-rights organizations — each holding money for plays in their territory. How much of it you can reach DIY varies. This guide maps what exists so nothing surprises you.
01
Performance royalties: your PRO already reaches abroad
ASCAP/BMI have reciprocal agreements with foreign PROs — foreign performance royalties flow back through your US membership (slowly, with a foreign society fee skimmed). Nothing to set up; just make sure every work is registered with your PRO with correct splits.
02
Foreign mechanicals: the genuine gap
The MLC is US-only. European downloads/streams generate mechanicals at GEMA, SACEM, PRS-MCPS and peers — pools an individual US writer cannot register into directly. Meaningful international streams? This is the publishing-admin case (see that guide).
03
Neighboring rights: the recording side abroad
Many countries pay performers and master owners for broadcast/public performance of recordings — money the US barely has an equivalent for. Collection runs through societies like PPL (UK). US-only artists have limited access (the US lacks reciprocal treaties for some of it), but significant airplay abroad can justify a neighboring-rights agent.
04
Once a year: sanity-check the whole chain
Foreign money arrives late — 12–24 month lags are normal. A yearly pass over PRO statements (foreign line items), admin statements if you have one, and distributor geography keeps the picture honest.