Copyright Registration

1. What is copyright?

Copyright (or author’s right) is a legal term used to describe the rights that creators have over their literary and artistic works. Works covered by copyright range from books, music, paintings, sculpture, and films, to computer programs, databases, advertisements, maps, technical drawings, and more.

2. What works are not protected under copyright?

Any idea, procedure, system, method of operation, concept, principle, discovery or mere data, even if expressed, described, explained, illustrated or embodied in a work. Any official text of a legislative, administrative, or legal nature, as well as any official translation of such documents.

3. What rights do copyright give me as the author of a work?

There are two types of rights authors of works gain under copyright: Firstly, they gain economic rights. This allows the rights owner to derive financial reward from the use of their works by others. Secondly, they gain moral rights. This protects the non-economic interests of the copyright holder.

4. What is the duration of Copyright?

(a) The economic and moral rights shall be protected during the life of the author and for full 70 years after their death. (b) In the case of co and joint authorship, the economic and moral rights shall be protected, during the life of the last surviving author and for a full 70 years after their death. (c) In the case of collective work, other than a work of applied art, and in the case of an audiovisual work, the economic and moral rights shall be protected for 70 years from the date on which the work was either made, first made available to the public, or first published, whichever date is latest. (d) In the case of a work which is published anonymously or under a pseudonym, the economic and moral rights shall be protected for 70 years from the date on which the work was either made, first made available to the public or first published, whichever date is the latest. If the author’s identity is revealed or is no longer doubtful before the expiration of the said period, the provisions of (a) or (b) shall apply. (e) In the case of a work of applied art, the economic and moral rights shall be protected for twenty-five years from the making of the work. (f) All periods mentioned in the preceding subsections shall run to the end of the calendar year in which it would otherwise expire.