The employment support system in the phonographic publishing sector, introduced by decree no. 2017-1046 of 10 May 2017, is one of the measures of the National Fund for Sustainable Employment in the Show (FONPEPS), created in September 2016 to support employment in live and recorded entertainment in the private and public sectors.

The various measures of FONPEPS are gradually coming into effect since January 2017 and the first four already available are:

  • Aid for the hiring of a first permanent contract employee for companies in the entertainment sectors;
  • The premium for permanent employment of show employees;
  • The premium for long-term contracts in the entertainment sector;
  • Support for the hiring of young graduate artists.

This new measure aims to promote the direct employment of artists (principals and musicians) for recording sessions for the production of a phonographic recording (album). This aid is dedicated to support the assumption of income of artists employed by independent labels (TPE) with less than 10 employees and whose annual turnover is less than 2 million euros.

This measure is in line with Objective 6.2 of the Memorandum of Understanding “Towards an equitable development of online music” signed on 2 October 2015 by the Ministry of Culture and 18 organisations representing the music sector – two new signatories have joined this agreement since it was signed, bringing the number of professional organisations involved to twenty.

This measure, which allows a fraction of the wage bill borne by companies, varies according to a principle of progressivity ranging from 25% to 60% corresponding to the number of artists participating in the phonographic recording. Part of the salary paid to artists is reimbursed a posteriori on presentation of supporting documents (in particular pay slips and signature sheets), from the end date of the phonographic recording. The sessions of phonographic recordings eligible for assistance are between the date of entry into force of the aforementioned decree and 31 December 2018.

This measure is financed equally by the Ministry of Culture and the professionals, the contribution of the professionals from the irrepartible sums collected by the civil societies of producers of phonograms (SCPP and SPPF) under the Additional Protocol to the 2008 National Phonographic Edition Collective Agreement.

This aid is administered by the State Services and Payments Agency (ASP), which is responsible for the examination of applications and the payment of aid, as is already the case for the other FONPEPS measures in force. The company requesting the aid shall submit its application to the SPA within a maximum period of six months following the end date of the phonographic registration for which the aid is requested.