List of countries' copyright length based on publication and creation dates

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This is a list of different countries and the length of their copyright length based on publication and creation dates but not based on the death dates of the individual authors. Laws regarding anonymous works, corporate-authored works, non-literary works, unpublished works, or posthumous works vary per country. It is not intended to be used as a legal guideline since it cannot reflect the complexity of the copyright laws in effect at any one time and since copyright laws are changing continuously. It is intended only as an overview of the portions of the world which are under any particular style of copyright. See the "see also" and "external links" at the end of this article for more details.

Although they are not countries, the list also includes entries for the European Union, Berne Convention, and the Universal Copyright Convention, which set minimum terms for their member nations or signatories.

Contents

[edit] Legend

  • ibid. = ibidem, "in the same place"
  • xx years from publication, creation, etc. = copyrighted for xx years since publication, creation, etc., of works
  • Until year end = copyrighted until the end of a calendar year, i.e. December 31

[edit] Table

Countries and areas Terms of copyright protection based on publication and creation dates References
Albania 70 years from publication (anonymous or pseudonymous work)


70 years from publication; 70 years from creation if unpublished (photographic or audiovisual work of joint authorship)
25 years from production (works of applied art)
Until year end

 Art. 18, Law no. 7564 of 19 April 1992, as modified by Law no. 7923 of 19 May 1995


Art. 19, ibid.
Art. 20, ibid.
Art. 21, ibid.
Algeria 50 years from publication; 50 years from creation if unpublished (collective work, anonymous or pseudonymous work, audiovisual work, posthumous work)


50 years from creation (photographs or the work of applied art)
Until year end

 Arts. 56, 57, 58, 60, Ordonnance n° 03-05 du 19 Joumada El Oula 1424 correspondant au 19 juillet 2003 relative aux droits d’auteur et aux droits voisins


Art. 59, ibid.
All previous references
Andorra 70 years from publication; 70 years from creation if unpublished (collective work with unknown authorship)


70 years from publication (anonymous or pseudonymous work)
Until year end

 Art. 18(3), Law on Copyright and Related Rights of 1999


Art. 18(5), ibid.
Art. 18(8), ibid.
Antigua and Barbuda 50 years from publication; 50 years from creation if unpublished (anonymous or pseudonymous work, computer generated work, sound recording or film)


50 years from creation (broadcast); 50 years after programme included in a cable programme service
25 years from publication (typographical arrangement of a published edition)
Until year end

 s. 10(2), (4), 11(1), Copyright Act, 2002


s. 12(1), ibid.
s. 13, ibid.
All previous references
Argentina 50 years from publication (anonymous intellectual works belonging to institutions, corporations or legal persons) Art. 8, Ley 11.723 del 28 de septiembre de 1933, as modified by Ley 24.870 del 11 de septiembre de 1997
Armenia 50 years until year end from publication (anonymous or pseudonymous works; posthumous work first published within 50 years after the author's death) Art. 26, 3rd and 7th paragraphs, Law on Copyright and Neighbouring Rights of 12 January 2000
Australia (including external territories) 70 years from publication (sound recordings, cinematograph films)


50 years after making (television broadcasts and sound broadcasts)
50 years from publication (photographs, no longer applicable since 1 January 2005)
Until year end

 s. 93, 94, Copyright Act 1968


s. 95, ibid.
Australian Copyright Council Information Sheets G023 (Duration)
All previous references
Austria 70 years until year end from publication; 70 years until year end from creation if unpublished (anonymous or pseudonymous work) § 61, 64, Urheberrechtsgesetz
Azerbaijan 50 years until year end from publication (anonymous or pseudonymous work; posthumous work published at first time during 30 years) Arts. 25(2), 26(1), (3), Law on Copyright and Related Rights of 5 June 1996
Bahrain 50 calendar years from publication (cinematographic films, applied arts works and photographs; anonymous or pseudonymous works; corporate works; posthumous works)


40 years from publication or 50 years from completion, whichever is earlier (computer software)

 Art. 31(2)(a), (b), (c), (d), Legislative Decree no. 10 of 1993


Art. 31(3), ibid.
Barbados 50 years from publication (anonymous or pseudonymous works)


50 years from making (computer-generated work)
50 years from publication; 50 calendar years from creation if unpublished (sound recordings and films)
50 years from creation (broadcast); 50 years after programme included in a cable programme service
25 years from publication (typographical arrangement of a published edition)
Until year end

 s. 10(3), Copyright, Act, 05/03/1998, No. 4


s. 10(4), ibid.
s. 11, ibid.
s. 12, ibid.
s. 13, ibid.
All previous references
Belarus 50 years from publication or if unpublished 50 years from creation (anonymous or pseudonymous works)


50 years from fixation (performance)
50 years from publication or if unpublished 50 years from fixation (phonogram)
50 years from the first broadcast or cable transmission
Until year end

 Art. 22(2), (4), Law 194-3 of 11 August 1998


Art. 38(1), ibid.
Art. 38(2), ibid.
Art. 38(3), ibid.
All previous references
Berne Convention signatories 50 years from publication or if not shown 50 years from creation (cinematographic works)


50 years from publication (anonymous or pseudonymous works)
25 years from creation (photographic works)
Until year end
Signatories may grant longer terms.

 Art. 7(2)


Art. 7(3)
Art. 7(4)
Art. 7(5)
Art. 7(6)
China, People's Republic of (Mainland only) 50 years until year end from publication or if unpublished 50 years from creation (works of legal entities, cinematographic works, films or photographic works) Art. 21, second and third paragraphs, Copyright Law of the People's Republic of China
Colombia 80 years from publication (cinematographic works)


Until year end

 Art. 26, Ley 23 de 1982


Art. 28, ibid.
Cote d'Ivoire 99 years until year end from publication (photographic or audiovisual works or works of applied art) Art. 45(3)(a), Loi no. 96-564 du 25 juillet 1996
Czech Republic 70 years from publication (anonymous works)


Until year end

 Art. 27(3), Law No. 121/2000 Coll.


Art. 27(7), ibid.
Djibouti (Berne, TRIPS) 25 years from publication or if unpublished 25 years from completion (film)


25 years from completion (a photographic work or a work of applied art)
Until year end

 Art. 62, Loi n°114/AN/96/3e L relatif à la protection du droit d'auteur


Art. 63, ibid.
Art. 65, ibid.
European Union members 70 years from publication or if unpublished 70 years from creation (anonymous works)


Until year end

 Art. 1 (3), (6), Directive 2006/116/EC


Art. 8, ibid.
Greece 70 years until year end from publication (anonymous or pseudonymous works) Art. 31(1), Law 2121/1993
Honduras 70 years until year end from publication or, if unpublished within 50 years, 70 years until year end from creation (works of applied art and photographs) article 30 of Decreto Ley 16 2006: Implementación del Tratado de Libre Comercio entre la República Dominicana, Centroamérica y Estados Unidos
Hong Kong[1] 50 years from publication or if unpublished 50 years from creation (literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works with unknown authorship)


50 years from publication or if unpublished 50 years from creation (sound recordings)
50 years from creation (broadcast); 50 years after programme included in a cable programme service
25 years from publication (typographical arrangement of published editions)
Until year end

 s. 17(3), Copyright Ordinance (Cap. 528)


s. 18, ibid.
s. 20, ibid.
s. 21, ibid.
All previous references
India 60 years until year end from publication (posthumous works, photographs, cinematograph films, sound recordings, works of public undertakings, and works of international organisations) s. 24, s. 25, s. 26, s. 27, s. 28A, s. 29, Copyright Act, 1957
Iran 30 years from publication (photographic or cinematographic works) Art. 16, Copyright Law of 12 January 1970
Israel 50 years from publication (photographs created till May 2007) Art. 21, Copyright, Act (Consolidation), 16/12/1911
Japan 50 years from publication or if unpublished 50 years from creation (works of a legal person or other corporate body)


70 years from publication or if unpublished 70 years from creation (cinematographic works)
Until year end

 Art. 53(1), Law No. 48 of 6 May 1970, as amended in 2006


Art. 54(1), ibid.
Art. 57, ibid.
Kenya 50 years until year end from the latest of creation or publication (Audio-visual works and photographs) s. 23(2), Copyright Act, 2001
Korea, Republic of 50 years from publication or if unpublished 50 years from creation (organizational works)


Until year end

 Art. 38, Copyright Act of 30 December 1989


Art. 40, ibid.
Macau(b) 50 years from publication (anonymous works)


50 years from publication (audiovisual works)
25 years from completion (works of applied art and photographic works)
Until year end

 Art. 23, Decree-Law 43/99/M of August 16, 1999


Art. 106, ibid.
Arts. 148 & 155, ibid.
Art. 21(3), ibid.
Namibia 50 years until year end from publication or if unpublished 50 years until year end from creation (cinematograph films, photographs and computer programs) s. 3, Copyright Act 98 of 1978, as amended by s. 3, Act 52 of 1984, s. 3, Act 125 of 1992 and by s. 52, Act 38 of 1997
New Zealand 50 years until year end from creation (computer-generated work) s. 22(2), Copyright Act 1994
Nigeria 70 years from publication (literary, musical or non-photograph artistic works in the case of government or a body corporate)


50 years from publication (cinematograph films and photographs)
50 years from creation (sound recordings)
50 years from publication (broadcasts)
Until year end

 Schedule I, Copyright Act (Cap. 68) 1990
Philippines 50 years from publication (photographic works)


Until year end

 s. 213.5, Intellectual Property Code


s. 214, ibid.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines 50 years from creation (computer-generated work)


75 years from publication or if unpublished 50 years from creation (sound recording or film)
50 years from creation (broadcast); 50 years after programme included in a cable programme service
Until year end

 s. 8(4), Copyright Act, 2003


s. 9(1), ibid.
s. 10(1), ibid.
All previous references
Seychelles 25 years from publication (photograph, film, or broadcast)


25 years from creation (sound recording)
Until year end

 s. 9(1)(ii), (v), Copyright Act, revised edition 1991


s. 9(1)(iv), ibid.
All previous references
Singapore 70 years from publication (photograph)


70 years from publication (sound recordings and cinematograph films)
50 years after making (television broadcasts, sound broadcasts, cable programmes)

 s. 28(6), Copyright Act[2]


s. 92, 93, ibid.
s. 94, 95, ibid.
South Africa 50 years until year end from publication or if unpublished 50 years until year end from creation (cinematograph films, photographs, computer programs)


50 years until year end from publication (sound recordings; broadcasts; programme-carrying signals; and published editions)

 s. 3(2)(b), Copyright Act, 1978


s. 3(2)(c), (d), (e), (f), ibid.
Sri Lanka 50 years from publication or if unpublished 50 years from completion (cinematographic, radiophonic or audiovisual work)


25 years from publication (photographic work or a work of applied art)
Until year end

 s. 19(4), Code of Intellectual Property Act No. 52 of 1979


s. 19(5), ibid.
s. 19(6), ibid.
Sudan 25 years from publication (photographic pictures and cinematographic films and other audiovisual works; works published under unknown pseudonym or anonymously) s. 13(3)(a), (c), Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Protection Act 1996
Switzerland 50 years after performance (performers' rights)


Until year end

 Art. 39, ibid.


Art. 32, ibid.
Syria 10 years from production (photographic, fine arts or plastic arts) Art. 25, Law No. 12/2001
Taiwan, Republic of China 50 years from publication (photographic works, audiovisual works, sound recordings, and performances)


Until year end

 Art. 34, Copyright Act


Art. 35, ibid.
United Kingdom 50 years until year end after release or if not released 50 years until year end after making (sound recordings) [1] s. 13, Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended by s. 6, Duration of Copyright and Rights in Performances Regulations 1995
United States of America 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation whichever is shorter (anonymous works, pseudonymous works, or works made for hire, published since 1978)


95 years from publication for works published 1964-1977; 28 (if copyright not renewed) or 95 years from publication for works published 1923-1963 (Copyrights prior to 1923 have expired.)
Until year end

 17 United States Code 302(c)


17 USC 304
17 USC 305[3]
Universal Copyright Convention minimum terms 25 years from publication (specific works not based on authors' deaths)


10 years (photographic works or to works of applied art)

 Article IV 2(a)


Article IV 3
Venezuela 60 years until year end from publication; 60 years until year end from creation if unpublished (an audiovisual work, a broadcast work or a computer program)


60 years until year end from publication(anonymous or pseudonymous work)

 Art. 26, Ley sobre el Dercho de Autor as modified by the Decreto del 14 de agosto de 1993


Art. 27, ibid.
Zimbabwe 50 years from publication (photographs)


50 years from creation (Sound recordings)
50 years from publication (cinematograph films, broadcasts)

 s. 6(3)(b), Copyright Act (Chapter 26:1)


s. 16(2), ibid.
s. 17(2), s. 18(2), ibid.

[edit] Table notes

Terms of protection were taken from a variety of sources, including WIPO, UNESCO and the University of Pennsylvania (see External links). Where no more specific information is available for a country, an indication of its probable minimum copyright term can be gained from its status as:

  • a signatory of the Berne Convention ("Berne"); minimum term of life + 50 years, except for photographs.
  • a member of the WTO ("TRIPS"); minimum term of 50 years after death.

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ The Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau have their own status, distinct from that of the rest of China, under international copyright and trade law
  2. ^ See also the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore.
  3. ^ See also Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States by Peter B. Hirtle.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries%27_copyright_length_based_on_publication_and_creation_dates"