Stockholm restaurant sued over unlicensed music

A restaurant in Stockholm faces a lawsuit for allegedly playing background music without securing the necessary licenses. The copyright organization SAMI (Swedish Artists and Musicians Interest Organization) has initiated legal action against the establishment.

According to Dagens Juridik, the restaurant received an invoice for playing music between January and June of this year. However, the establishment reportedly failed to pay the fee. SAMI has now filed a lawsuit with the Stockholm District Court, seeking 11,500 kronor from the restaurant.

In Sweden, restaurants are required to enter into agreements and pay license fees to both SAMI and Stim, an organization representing songwriters, in order to play background music. The amount of these fees is typically determined by the size of the venue and its operating hours.

The lawsuit highlights the legal obligations businesses have regarding the public performance of music. Failure to comply can result in financial penalties and legal proceedings, as seen in this case.