In MMD 97.01.04, Robbie Rhodes wrote :
>I hope we will hear from other countries about this topic, too

In France (to make things simple) :

You have to pay royalties until 70 years after the death of the composer
or the author of the words (and not the deposit of the work).  So it is
usually longer than in the States.

There is a public organism for that (SACEM), which controls every public
performance.  You may make music arrangements of any type of music, or
punch as many books or paper rolls as you wish, as long as you (or the
buyer of books or paper rolls) do not give public performances; if so, you
(or the buyer of your books or paper rolls) have to pay (Organ grinders
festivals, music on the air, radio music at your hairdresser's : the
hairdresser's have to pay).  That is a general outline. Things in fact
are a little more complicated.

I wish everybody a very nice New Year full of Royalties.

Philippe Rouille  (Paris, France)¶
rouille@cnam.fr¶
http://www.cnam.fr/museum/musica_mecanica/