The rulings concerning the verdict of German Federal Court in the translator remuneration dispute (http://www NULL.ceatl NULL.eu/new-german-federal-court-verdict/) that has been occupying the German publishing scene since the 2002 amendment to German copyright law, have recently been made available.
In brief, appropriate and reasonable remuneration for literary translation is as follows:
- primary rights: for hardcover editions 0,8% starting from 5000 copies sold, for pocket book editions 0,4% starting from 5000 copies sold, and for all exploitations/uses outside the price fixing agreement (audio books, electronic books etc.) one fifth of the author’s royalties;
- electronic rights: normally 4%, 5% or 6% of the net price (i.e., one fifth of the author’s royalties, which are normally 20%, 25% or 30%);
- additional and subsidiary rights: normally 10% or 12% or 14% of the total net receipt (i.e., one fifth of the author’s royalties, which are normally 50%, 60% or 70%.