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Basseterre, St. Kitts – May 27, 2025 — In a stunning and unprecedented move, the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs has dropped the hammer on the Eastern Caribbean Collective Organisation for Music Rights (ECCO), declaring it unauthorized and prohibited from conducting any business within the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The explosive announcement, made via an official press release, confirms that no Collective Management Organisation (CMO) — including ECCO — is currently licensed or authorized to operate in the country. The bold declaration follows the enactment of new Copyright (Collective Management Organisations) Regulations which came into force on December 6, 2024, requiring all CMOs to obtain prior approval from the Intellectual Property Office of Saint Kitts and Nevis (IPOSKN).

Despite being notified five months ago and extended every courtesy and opportunity to comply, ECCO has, according to the Ministry, shown blatant disregard for the law, continuing to issue licenses in defiance of the regulations. The Ministry is now advising all persons and businesses in the Federation to cease all engagement with ECCO or any other unauthorized CMO immediately.

Unauthorized. Unregulated. Unacceptable.
This move sends shockwaves through the local and regional creative industry, especially since ECCO, a body long involved in collecting and distributing royalties on behalf of musicians and composers, is now branded as operating illegally within St. Kitts and Nevis.

The Ministry and IPOSKN stress their commitment to transparency, accountability, and public protection, pointing to the new law’s requirement that CMOs submit detailed legal, financial, and operational reports — all open to public scrutiny. Citizens are even encouraged to submit written reports about CMOs and their dealings, adding a new level of civic oversight.

The Ministry’s message is clear: good faith has limits. ECCO’s failure to comply with the law has now cost them the legal right to operate. Any licensing activity by ECCO after December 10, 2024, is deemed invalid and unauthorized, and individuals holding such licenses are encouraged to report them immediately to the IPOSKN.

As of June 2, 2025, the IPOSKN will relocate to the top floor of Independence House on North Independence Square Street, Basseterre.

This is not just a policy shift — it’s a musical and legal earthquake.

For the creative industry in St. Kitts and Nevis, the message rings louder than any drumbeat: get legal or get lost.