CEPIC

What CEPIC does

CEPIC (Centre of the Picture Industry) is an international non-profit trade association headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, representing the visual media licensing industry. Founded in 1993 and reincorporated as an A.I.S.B.L. (Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif) in Brussels on 2022-05-18, CEPIC's membership spans more than 30 countries and includes picture agencies, stock photo libraries, rightsholders, content creators, and technology providers in the visual media ecosystem. The organization does not develop proprietary technology products; instead, it operates as an industry body providing networking, standards-setting, and policy advocacy services.

Core offerings include an annual congress (CEPIC 2025 in Antibes, France with 200+ delegates; CEPIC 2026 announced for Valencia, Spain), a members directory, industry guidelines, webinars, working groups, and advocacy representation at EU institutions and WIPO. Recent congress themes have emphasized AI ethics and licensing, reflecting CEPIC's role in shaping industry responses to generative AI disruption.

CEPIC's business model is membership-dues driven, supplemented by event registration fees (including a newly introduced virtual access tier at 99 EUR) and corporate sponsorships from industry participants including Shutterstock, Getty Images, and Google. The organization operates with a small team of 1-10 employees and reinvests revenues into member services, advocacy, and event production as a non-profit association.

Name

CEPIC

Legal name

CEPIC, International Association of the Media Licensing Industry

Website

https://cepic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CEPIC is an international non-profit trade association representing the visual media licensing industry, providing EU and WIPO advocacy, an annual congress, and member services to picture agencies, rightsholders, and content creators across more than 30 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional & Association Conferences (MPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Legal & Compliance Conferences (MPAGAGAI), Professional & Certification Expos Organizers (THAHABAD)

Keywords

• Visual media licensing
• Trade association services
• Copyright advocacy
• Industry congress events
• Image licensing standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: CEPIC generates revenue through membership fees from trade associations, individual members, and company members active in the visual media licensing industry. Members receive benefits including representation at EU and WIPO, press release publication, blog participation, exclusive news access, directory listing, and congress discounts.
2. Annual Congress Event Revenue: CEPIC hosts annual congress events (CEPIC 2025, CEPIC 2026) with registration fees, table area bookings, and virtual access passes. Additional services include speed dating sessions, pitch presentations, and sponsorship packages.
3. Event Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support CEPIC events through various sponsorship packages including headline sponsorships, workshop and lounge opportunities, and digital channel visibility. Sponsors include major visual media companies like Shutterstock, Getty Images, Google, IMATAG, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CEPIC is an international non-profit trade association (A.I.S.B.L.) that provides membership services to visual media licensing professionals, including trade associations, picture agencies, stock agencies, and news agencies. Its core offerings consist of an annual Congress event (CEPIC 2025, CEPIC 2026), member-exclusive webinars, advocacy representation at the European Union and WIPO on copyright and AI policy, an online members directory, industry guidelines, and networking opportunities. Membership is open to trade associations, individuals, and companies active in visual media licensing.

Product overview

CEPIC is an international non-profit trade association (A.I.S.B.L.) serving as the united voice of the visual media licensing industry in Europe and beyond. Rather than a software product company, CEPIC provides a portfolio of member services including its flagship annual Congress event (CEPIC 2025, CEPIC 2026), exclusive webinars featuring industry experts, advocacy programs on copyright and AI, an online members directory, industry guidelines resources, and a news/blog platform. These services are designed to foster collaboration, protect copyright, and shape industry standards for visual media professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CHERISH: Connecting photographic heritage with Europe's digital future - a project focused on digitizing and preserving photographic heritage.

Products and services

• CEPIC Membership Recurring membership program for trade associations, companies, and individuals in the visual media licensing industry, providing policy representation at EU and WIPO, exclusive industry news, press release publication, blog participation, members directory listing, and discounted congress attendance.
• CEPIC Annual Congress CEPIC's flagship annual three-day networking event for the visual media licensing industry, bringing together up to 400 professionals from 30+ countries for panels, workshops, keynotes, speed dating, and business meetings. Available with in-person and virtual access options.
• CEPIC 2025 / 2026 Virtual Access Pass Virtual access ticket offering remote attendance to live CEPIC Congress sessions plus access to event recordings. CEPIC 2025 virtual pass was priced at 99 EUR.
• CEPIC Webinars Exclusive webinar series for CEPIC members featuring industry-leading experts on topics relevant to visual media licensing, copyright protection, and AI.
• CEPIC Congress Sponsorship Packages Tiered sponsorship packages (Headline, Silver, Bronze) for the annual CEPIC Congress, offering brand visibility, panel sponsorship, workshop and lounge opportunities, delegate bag and lanyard sponsorship, speed dating session sponsorship, and digital channel presence.

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• EANA (European Alliance of News Agencies)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025CEPIC and EANA have strengthened their partnership in 2025 to promote trust in visual journalism and enhance industry standards for image licensing and copyright protection. The collaboration is highlighted at CEPIC 2025 with a keynote by AFP's Éric Baradat and a panel on combating war disinformation through image verification.
• IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025IPTC partnered with CEPIC 2025 as a valued partner, bringing expertise in global metadata and media standards. IPTC contributed lightning talks, hands-on workshops, and helped attendees navigate the future of image licensing, AI, and content authenticity.
• ShutterstockmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Shutterstock returned as a sponsor for CEPIC 2025, supporting a key panel on licensing content for AI training. They sponsored the panel 'How to License for AI Training' and attended with seven delegates and a dedicated table.
• IMATAGmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025IMATAG joined CEPIC 2025 as an official sponsor and member. They sponsored a panel discussion on digital watermarking and content protection, and maintained presence in the Table Area.
• PicRights Europe GmbHmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025PicRights served as a Silver Sponsor for CEPIC 2025, sponsoring the conference panel on infringement tracking and providing official event lanyards.
• AlamysupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Alamy returned as a Bronze Sponsor for CEPIC 2025, supporting the event by sponsoring official CEPIC t-shirts available at registration.
• IMAGOsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025IMAGO returned as a Bronze Sponsor for CEPIC 2025, sponsoring delegate bags and joining with a dedicated table.
• Getty ImagesmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Getty Images is listed among the sponsors supporting CEPIC 2025, contributing to the conference sessions and event logistics.
• GooglemajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Google is listed among the sponsors supporting CEPIC 2025, contributing to conference sessions on AI and content authenticity.
• PICSELsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025PICSEL sponsored the Speed Dating networking event at CEPIC 2025, supporting this new feature designed to help attendees connect quickly and efficiently.
• BikiniListssupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025BikiniLists sponsored the Speed Dating networking event at CEPIC 2025, helping attendees make quick introductions and build connections.
• FotoArenasupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025FotoArena returned as the official photo platform sponsor for CEPIC 2025, capturing networking moments, panel discussions, and highlights from the event.
• WirestocksupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Wirestock sponsored the AI for Good Pitch Presentations session at CEPIC 2025, showcasing AI tools to streamline business workflows.
• ActivosupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Activo is listed among the sponsors supporting CEPIC 2025.
• Sipa PresssupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Sipa Press is listed among the sponsors supporting CEPIC 2025.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Broad incumbents

• IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry): Global trade body for the recorded music industry. Comparable to CEPIC as a non-profit association advocating for copyright protection and licensing standards at the EU and international levels, though serving a different creative vertical.
• IFRA (WAN-IFRA / World Association of News Publishers): Global trade association for the news publishing industry. Comparable to CEPIC as an industry advocacy body operating in the same media ecosystem, but broader in scope (entire news publishing industry rather than visual media licensing specifically).

Direct peers

• PACA (Picture Archive Council of America): North American trade association for the image licensing industry representing stock agencies and picture libraries. Direct peer as the regional counterpart to CEPIC, focused on advocacy, standards, and member services for visual media licensing companies.
• BVPA (Bundesverband professioneller Bildanbieter): German trade association for professional image providers and a CEPIC founding member. Direct peer serving the same visual media licensing constituents in the DACH region with parallel advocacy and standards work.
• BAPLA (British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies): UK trade body for image licensing agencies and picture libraries. Direct peer of CEPIC in the British market, with overlapping agenda on copyright enforcement, licensing standards, and member advocacy.
• EANA (European Alliance of News Agencies): Alliance of European news agencies. Direct peer of CEPIC on the news agency side of the visual media ecosystem, with a strengthened 2025 partnership with CEPIC and overlapping efforts on image verification and trustworthy visual journalism.

Emerging players

• IPTC (International Press Telecommunications Council): Standards body for news metadata, content authenticity, and visual media. Comparable to CEPIC because it serves overlapping constituencies (news agencies, picture agencies) and was a CEPIC 2025 partner, though its focus is technical standards rather than policy advocacy.
• SNAP (Stock Artists Alliance): Advocacy group for stock photographers and visual content creators. Comparable to CEPIC's individual and creator membership focus, though smaller and US-centric rather than European in scope.
• INPA (International News Photography Association): Organization supporting news photographers and visual journalism professionals. Peer to CEPIC because it represents the creator side of the same visual media supply chain CEPIC's agency members work with.

Regional players

• European Magazine Media Association (EMMA): European trade association for magazine publishers. Comparable to CEPIC as a Brussels-based, EU-advocating media trade body, though its focus is magazine publishing rather than visual media licensing specifically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cepic
• Xx.com/CEPIC_Official
• Facebookfacebook.com/CEPIC-Centre-of-the-Picture-Industry-248211889080

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CEPIC