The statistical surveys play an important role in Kopinor's activitities. A survey is normally conducted every three to five years in each area covered by a centrally negotiated agreement.
The surveys
- establish the number of copy-pages for which the user has to pay, and
- produce a basis for distribution of the fees to rightsholders.
The survey period is generally 3-4 weeks, during which some 5 % of the units covered by an agreement, have to make extra copies of all the material that is copied, except those of a confidential nature. The extra copies are then sent to an independent statistical bureau to be coded and analysed. Examples of data collected through surveys:
- percentage of protected material as a portion of all copied material (as a basis for payment)
- country of origin and of publication of the copied work, and if it has been translated etc.
- type of material copied (e.g. poetry, lyrics, prose, non-fiction text, illustration, photo etc.)
- type of source copied (e.g. textbook, dictionary, songbook, newspaper etc.)