Euskal Kulturgileen Kidegoa EKKI (the Basque Authors’ Association), formed to protect authors' rights, was presented to social, cultural and institutional representatives on 26th February, 2015 at Euskararen Etxea (the Basque House) in Bilbao.
On 21st October, 2014, the Official Bulletin of Euskadi published the Cultural Heritage director's decision permitting Euskal Kulturgileen Kidegoa (EKKI) – which manages intellectual property rights – to be the sole or main institution for managing authors’ rights as specified by the Intellectual Property Law.
EKKI was founded by Euskal Herriko Bertsozale Elkartea (the Basque improvisational poets' society), Euskal Idazleen Elkartea (the Basque writers' association), Euskal Editoreen Elkartea (the Basque editors' association), Euskal Irudigileen Elkarte Profesionala (the Basque professional designers' association) and Euskal Herriko Musikarien Elkartea (the Basque musicians' society).
EKKI's remit is to permit the use of work by Basque authors who have joined the association, make sure that this use is carried out in accordance with authors’ wishes and, if appropriate, fix payment rates. In that respect it is much like other agencies. But the difference is that EKKI wishes to become a point of reference for whomever wishes to consume Basque culture anywhere in the world and the association will work for Basque authors.
To do so, EKKI will not set up large, complex structures. It is not EKKI's intention to cast suspicion on the free use of culture or to repeat others' mistakes. EKKI is to help people to see, read, touch, listen to and enjoy Basque culture. This is also the reason behind collecting funds.
Ekki's work is to be transparent and simple, not highly technical and opaque. The ultimate objective is for authors to be correctly remunerated and to create a system of support for the people in the sector.
It is for the authors to say what EKKI is going to be and which services it should offer. We wish to ask them one by one, each author to have his/her own contract with EKKI and take part in the project.