VG Musikedition is a copyright collecting society in the legal form of an economic association. It assumes numerous copyright and remuneration claims on behalf of its members (publishers, composers, lyricists and editors), which for practical and legal reasons can only be assumed collectively in Germany, in other words by a copyright collecting society. This enables music users to exploit copyrighted works legally in an easy manner.

The members of VG Musikedition create intellectual property. Protecting their creativity and asserting the claim for adequate remuneration are some of VG Musikedition’s most important tasks.

As a copyright collecting society, VG Musikedition is subject to among others the supervision and control of the German Patent and Trade Mark Office in Munich. The General Meeting of Members, the highest decision-making body, elects an Administrative Council as supervisory board und various experts onto specialist committees. To manage business matters, the Administrative Council appoints full-time management, which forms the Board in terms of the German Civil Code [BGB].

After deducting administrative costs (less than 10%), all VG Musikedition’s income is passed on to the members, in other words to the copyright holders. As a non-profit organisation, VG Musikedition itself doesn't make any profit whatsoever.