WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION 
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DV COMMERCE 
ORGANIZACION MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIO 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects of 
Intellectual Property Rights IPIN/lIISRlC/l 
14 March 2000 
(00-0230) 
Original: English! 
anglaisl 
ingles 
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 
LAWS AND REGULATIONS NOTIFIED UNDER 
ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT 
ISRAEL 
The present document reproduces the textl of the Copyright Act, 1911, as notified by Israel 
under Article 63.2 of the Agreement (see document IP/N/1/ISRl1). 
Conseil des aspects des droits de propriete 
intellectuelle qui touchent au commerce 
PRINCIPALES LOIS ET REGLEMENTATIONS CONSACREES A LA 
PROPRIETE INTELLECTUELLE NOTIFIEES AV TITRE 
DE L'ARTICLE 63:2 DE L'ACCORD 
ISRAEL 
Le present document contient le textel de la Loi de 1911 sur le droit d'auteur, notifiee par 
Israel au titre de l'article 63:2 de l'Accord (voir le document IP/NI 1 IISRI 1 ). 
Consejo de los Aspectos de los Derechos de Propiedad 
Intelectual relacionados con el Comercio 
PRINCIP ALES LEYES Y REGLAMENTOS DEDICADOS A LA PROPIEDAD 
INTELECTUAL NOTIFICADOS EN VIRTUD DEL pARRAFO 2 
DEL ARTicULO 63 DEL ACUERDO 
ISRAEL 
En el presente documento se reproduce el textol de la Ley de Derecho de Autor, de 1911, 
notificado por Israel de conformidad con el pan-afo 2 del articulo 63 del Acuerdo (vease el 
documento IP/NIl/ISRll). 
1 English only.lAnglais seulement.lEn ingIes solamente. IP/N/lIISR/C/l 
Page 2 
COPYRIGHT ACT 1911 
Be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent 
of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament 
assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: 
Cop}Tight 
1. (1) 
(2) 
(3) PART I -IlVIPERIAL COPYRIGHT 
Rights 
Subject to the provisions of this Act, copyright shall subsist throughout the 
parts of His Majesty's dominions to which this Act extends for the term 
hereinafter mentioned in every original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic 
work, if -
(a) in the case of a published work, the work was first published within such 
parts of His Majesty's dominions as aforesaid; and 
(b) repealed 
but in no other works, except so far as the protection conferred by this Act is 
extended by Orders in Council thereunder, relating to self governing dominions 
to which this Act does not extend and to foreign countries. 
For the purposes of this Act, "copyr.ight" means the right to produce or 
reproduce the work or any substantial part thereof in any material form 
whatsoever, to perform, or in the case of a lecture to deliver, the work or any 
substantial part thereof in public; if the work is unpublished, to publish the 
work or any substantial part thereof; and shall include the sole right, -
(a) to produce, reproduce, perform or publish any translation of the work; 
(b) in the case of a dramatic work, to convert it into a novel or other non­
dramatic work; 
(c) in the case of a hovel or other non-dramatic work, or of an artistic work, 
to convert it into a dramatic work, by way of performance in public or 
otherwise; 
(d) in the case of a literary, dramatic or musical work, to make any record, 
perforated roll, cinematographic film, or other contrivance by means of 
which the work may be mechanically performed or delivered, 
and to authorize any such acts as aforesaid. 
For the purposes of this Act, publication, in relation to any work, means the 
issue of copies of the work to the public, and does not include the performance 
in public of a dramatic or musical work, the delivery in public of a lecture, the 
exhibition in public of an artistic work, or the construction of an architectural 
work of art, but, for the purposes ef this provision, the issue of photographs 
and engravings of works of sculpture and architectural works of art shall not 
be deemed to be publication of such works. 
NOTE: This Law and the following Copyright Ordinance stem from Great Britain and became 
applicable here when the British ManadatOlY Administration held sway (1917 -1948); they have 
remained all israelJs Law Books -albeit with considerable amendments -until now. 17le 
English text presented ill these pages only partly rests 011 the original English version; most of 
it was translated by llS from the official Hebrew translatioll, which is /lOW used in Israel -T1'. Infringement of copyright IPINIIIISRlCII 
Page 3 
2. (1) Copyright in a work shall be deemed to be infringed by any person who, 
without the consent of the owner of the copyright, does anything the sole right 
to do which is by this Act conferred on the owner of the copyright: Provided 
that the following acts shall not constit)lte the infringement of a copyright:-
(i) any fair dealing with any work for the purpose of private study, research, 
criticism, review or .newspaper summary: 
(ii) \Vhere the author of an artistic work is not the owner of the copyright 
therein, the use by the author of any mould, cast, sketch, plan, model or 
study made by him for the purpose of the work, provided that he does 
not thereby repeat or imitate the main design of the work: 
(iii) The making or publishing of paintings, drawings, engravings, or 
photographs of a work of sculpture or artistic craftsmanship, if 
permanently situate in a public place or building, or the making or 
publishing of paintings, drawings, engravings, or photographs (which are 
not in the nature of architectural drawings or plans) of any architectural 
work of art: 
(iv) The publication in a collection, mainly composed of non-copyright 
matter, bona fide intended for the use of schools, and so described in 
the title and in any advertisement issued by the publisher, of short 
passages from published literary works not themselves published for the 
use of schools in which copyright subsists: 
Provided that not more than two of such passages from works by the 
same author are published by the same publisher within five years, and 
that the source from which such passages are taken is acknowledged: 
(v) The publication in a newspaper of a report of a lecture delivered in 
public, unless the report is prohibited by conspicuous written or printed 
notice affLxed before and maintained during the lecture at or about the 
main entrance of the building in which the lecture is given, and, except 
whilst the building is being used for public worship, in a position near 
the lecturer; but nothing in this paragraph shall affect the provisions in 
paragraph (i) as to newspaper summaries: 
(vi) The reading or· recitation in public by one person of any reasonable 
extract from a published work. 
(2) Copyright in a work shall be deemed to be infringed by any person who -
(a) sells or lets for hire, or by way of trade exposes or offers for sale or 
hire; or . 
(b) distributes either for the purposes of trade or to such an extent as to 
affect prejudicially the owner of the copyright; or 
(c) by way of trade exhibits in public; or 
(cl) imports for sale or hire into any part of His Majesty's dominions to 
which this Act extends, 
any work which to his knowledge infringes copyright or would infringe 
copyright if it had been made within the part of His Majesty's dominions in or 
into which the sale or hiring, exposure, offering for sale or hire, distribution, 
exhibition, or importation took place. 
(3) Copyright in a work shall also be deemed to be infringed by any person who 
for his private profit permits a theater or other place of entertainment to be 
used for the performance in public of the work without the consent of the 
owner of the copyright, unless he was not aware, or had no reasonable ground 
for suspecting, that the performance would be an infringement of copyright. IPINIlIISRlCIl 
Page 4 
Term of copyright 
3. The term for which copyright shall subsist shall, except as otherwise expressly 
provided by this Act, be the life of the author and a period of fifty years after his 
death. 
4. Repealed 
Ownership oJ copyright, etc. 
5. (1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the author of a work shall be the first 
owner of the copyright therein: 
Provided that -
Ca) where, in the case of an engraving, photograph, or portrait, the plate or 
other original was ordered by some other person and was made for 
valuable consideration in pursuance of that order, then, in the absence 
of any agreement to the contrary, the person by whom such plate or 
original was ordered shall be the first owner of the copyright, and 
(b) where the author was in the employment of some other person under a 
contract of service or apprenticeship and the work was made in the 
course of his employment by that person, the person by whom the 
author was employed shall, in the absence of any agreement to the 
contrary, be the first owner of the copyright, but where the work is an 
article or other contribution to a newspaper, magazine, or similar 
periodical, there shall, in the absence of any agreement to the contrary, 
be deemed to be reserved to the author the right to restrain the 
publication of the work, otherwise than as part of a newspaper, 
magazine, or similar periodical. 
(2) The owner of the copyright in any work may assign the right, either wholly or 
partially, and either generally or subject to limitations to the United Kingdom 
or any self-governing dominion or other part of His ivIajesty's dominions to 
which this Act extends, and either for the whole term of the copyright or for 
any part thereof, and may grant any interest in the right by license, but no such 
assignment or grant shall be valid unless it is in writing signed by the owner of 
the right in respect of which the assignment or grant is made, or by his duly 
authorized agent. 
(3) Where, under any partial assignment of copyright, the assignee becomes 
entitled to any right comprised in copyright, the assignee as respects the right 
so assigned, and the assignor as respects the rights not assigned, shall be 
treated for purposes of this Act as the owner of the copyright, and the 
provisions of this Act shall have effect accordingly. 
Civil Remedies 
Civil remedies for infringement of copyright 
6. (1) ,\Vhere copyright in any work has been infringed, the owner of the copyright 
shall, as otherwise provided by this Act, be entitled to all such remedies by 
way of injunction or interdict, damages, accounts, and otherwise, as are or may 
be conferred by law for the infringement of a right. 
(2) The costs of all the parties in any proceedings in respect of the infringement 
of copyright shall be in the absolute discretion of the court. IP/N/l/ISRlC/l 
Page 5 
(3) In any action for infringement of copyright in any work, the work shall be 
presumed to be a work in which copyright subsists and the plaintiff shall be 
presumed to be the owner of the copyright, unless the defendant puts in issue 
the existence of the copyright, or, as the case may be, the title of the plaintiff, 
and where any such question is in issue, then -
(a) if a name purporting to be that of the author of the work is printed or 
otherwise indicated thereon in the usual manner, the person whose 
name is so printed or indicated shall, unless the contrary is proved, be 
presumed to be the author of the work; 
(b) if no name is so printed or indicated, or if the name so printed or 
indicated is not the author's true name or the name by which he is 
commonly known, and a name purporting to be that of the publisher or 
proprietor of the work is printed or otherwise indicated thereon in the 
usual manner the person whose name is so printed or indicated shall, 
unless the contrary is proved, be presumed to be the author of the work 
for purposes of proceedings in respect of the infringement of copyright 
therein. 
llights of owners against persons possessing or dealing with infringing copies, etc. 
7. All infringing copies of any work in which copyright subsists, or of any substantial part 
thereof, and all plates used or intended to be used for the production of such 
infringing copies, shall be deemed to be the properly of the mvner of the copyright, 
who accordingly may take proceedings for the recovery of the possession thereof or 
in respect of the conversion thereof. 
Exemption of innocent infringer from liability to pay damages, etc. 
8. Where proceedings are taken in respect of the infringement of the copyright in any 
work and the defendant in his defense alleges that he was Dot aware of the existence 
of the copyright in the work, the plaintiff shall not be entitled to any remedy other 
than an injunction or interdict in respect of the infringement if the defendant proves 
that at the date of the infringement he was not aware and had no reasonable ground 
for suspecting that copYright subsisted in the work. 
Restriction on remedies in the case of architecture 
9. (1) \Vhere the construction of a building or other structure which infringes or 
which, if completed, would infringe the copyright in some other work has been 
commenced, the owner of the copyright shall not be entitled to obtain an 
injunction or interdict to restrain the construction of such buiiding or structure 
or to order its demolition. 
(2) Such of the other provisions of this Act as provide that an infringing copy of 
a work shall be deemed to be the property of the owner of the copyright, or 
as impose summary penalties, shall not apply in any case to which this section 
applies. 
10. Repealed 
11. Repealed 
12. Repealed 
13. Repealed IP/N/lIISRlC/l 
Page 6 
Importation of copies 
Importation of copies 
14. (1) Copies made out of the United Kingdom of any work in which copyright 
subsists which if made in the United Kingdom would infringe copyright, and 
as to which the owner of the copyright gives notice in writing by himself or his 
agents to the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, that he is desirous that 
such copies should not be imported into the United Kingdom, shall not be 50 
imported, and shall, subject to the provisions of this section, be deemed to be 
included in the table of prohibitions and restrictions contained in section forty 
two of the Customs Consolidation Act, 1876, and that section shall apply 
accordingly. 
(2) Before detaining any such copies or taking any further proceedings with a view 
to the forfeiture thereof under the law relating to the Customs, the 
Commissioners of Customs and Excise may require the regulations under this 
section, whether as to information, conditions, or other matters, to be complied 
with, and may satisfy themselves in accordance with those regulations that he 
copies are such as are prohibited by this section to be imported. 
(3) The Commissioners of Customs and Excise may make regulations, either 
general or special, respecting the detention and forfeiture of copies the 
importation of which is prohibited by this section, and the conditions, if any, 
to be fulfilled before such detention or forfeiture, and may, by such regulations, 
determine the information, notices and security to be given, and the evidence 
requisite for any of the purposes of this section, and the mode of verification 
of such evidence. 
(4) The regulations may apply to copies of all works the importation of which is 
prohibited by this section, or different regulations may be made respecting 
different classes of such works. 
(5) The regulations may provide for the informant reimbursing the Commissioners 
of Customs and Excise all expenses and damages incurred in respect of any 
detention made on his information and of any proceedings consequent on such 
detention; and may provide for notices under any enactment repealed by this 
Act being treated as notices given under this section. 
(6) The foregoing provisions of this section shall have effect as if they were part 
of the Customs Consolidation Act, 1876: Provided that, notwithstanding 
anything in that Act, the Isle of Man shall be treated as part of the United 
Kingdom for the purposes of this section. 
(7) This section shall, with the necessary modifications, apply to the importation 
into a British possession to which this Act extends of copies made out of that 
possession. 
DelivelY of Books to Libraries 
15. Repealed \Vorks of joint authors 
16. (1) Repealed Special Provisions as to celtailZ H'orks IPINIlIISRlCIl 
Page 7 
(2) Where, in the case of a work of joint authorship, some one or more of the joint 
authors do not satisfy conditions conferring copyright laid down by this Act, 
the work shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as if the other author or 
authors had been the sole author or authors thereof. 
(3) For the purposes of this Act, Ita work of joint authorship" means a work 
produced by the collaboration of two or more authors in which the 
contribution of one author is not distinct from the contribution of the other 
author or authors. 
(4) Where a married woman and her husband are joint authors of a work tht: 
~nterest of such married woman therein shall be her separate property. 
Posthumous works 
17. (1) Repealed 
(2) The ownership of an author's manuscript after his death, where such ownership 
has been acquired under a testamentary disposition made by the author and 
the manuscript is of a work which has not been published nor performed in 
public nor delivered in public, shall be prima facie proof of the copyright being 
with the owner of the manuscript. 
Provisions as to government publications 
18. Without prejUdice to any rights or privileges of the Crown, where any work has, 
whether before or after the commencement of this Act, been prepared or published 
by or under the direction or control of His Majesty or any Government department, 
the copyright in the work shall, subject to any agreement with the author, belong to 
His Majesty, and in such ca~e shall continue for a period of fifty years from the date 
of the first publication of the work. 
Provision as to mechanical instruments 
19. (1) Copyright shall subsist in records, perforated rolls, and other contrivances by 
means of which sound may be mechanically reproduced, in like manner as if 
such contrivances were musical works, but the term of copyright shall be fifty 
years from the making of the original plate from which the contrivance was 
directly or indirectly derived, and the person who was the owner of such 
original plate at the time when such plate was made shall be deemed to be the 
author of the work, and where such owner is a body corporate, the body 
corporate shall be deemed for the purposes of this Act to reside within the 
parts of His Majesty's dominions to which this Act extends if it has established 
a place of business within such parts. 
(2) It shall not be deemed an infringement of copyright in any musical work for 
any person to make within the parts of His Majesty's dominions to which this 
Act extends, records, perforated rolls, or other contrivances by means of which 
the work may be mechanically performed, if such person proves -
(a) lhal such contrivances have previously been made by, or with the 
consent and acquiescence of, th.e owner of the copyright in the work; 
and 
Cb) that he has given the prescribed notice of his intention to make the 
contrivances, and has paid in the prescribed manner to, or for the IP INIlIISRlCIl 
Page 8 
benefit of, the owner of the copyright in the work royalties in respect of 
all such contrivances sold by him, calculated at the rate hereinafter 
mentioned: Provided that -
(i) nothing in this provision shall authorize any alterations in, or 
omissions from, the work reproduced, unless contrivances 
reproducing the work subject to similar alterations and omissions 
have been previously made by~ or with the consent or 
acquiescence 0[, the owner of the copyright, or unless suc.h 
alterations or omissions are reasonably necessary for the 
adaptation of the work to the contrivances in question; and 
(ii) for the purposes of this provision, a musical work shall be 
deemed to include any words so closely associated therewith as 
to form part of the same work, but shall not be deemed tG 
include a contrivance by means of which sounds may be 
mechanically reproduced. 
(3) The rate at which such royalties as aforesaid are to be calculated shall -
(a) in the case of contrivances sold within two years after the 
commencement of this Act by the person making the same, be two and 
one half per cent; and 
(b) in the case of contrivances sold as aforesaid after the expiration of that 
period, five per cent on the ordinary retail selling price of the 
contrivance calculated in the prescribed manner, so however that the 
royalty payable in respect of a contrivance shall, in no case, be less than 
a halfpenny for each separate musical work in which copyright subsists 
reproduced thereon, and, where the royalty calculated as aforesaid 
includes a fraction of a farthing, such fraction shall be reckoned as ~ 
farthing: Provided that, if at any time after the expiration of seven years 
from the commencement of this Act, it appears to the Board of Trade 
that such rate as aforesaid is no longer equitable, the Board of Trade 
may, after holding a public enquiry, make an order either decreasing or 
increasing that rate to such extent as under the circumstances may seem 
just, but any order so made shall be provisional only and shall not have 
any effect unless and until confirmed by Parliament; but, where an order 
revising a rate has been so made and confirmed, no further revision 
shall be made before the expiration of fourteen years from the date of 
the last revision. 
(4) If any such contrivance is made reproducing two or more works in which 
copyright subsists and the owners of the copyright therein are different 
persons, the sums payable by way of royalties under this section shall be 
apportioned amongst the several owners of the copyright in such proportions 
as, failing agreement, may be determined by arbitration. 
(5) \Vhen any such contrivances by means of which a musical work may be 
mechanically performed have been made, then, for the purposes of this section, 
the owner of the copyright in the work shall, in relation to any person who 
makes the prescribed enquiries, be deemed to have given his consent to the 
making of such contrivances if he fails to reply to such enquiries within the 
prescribed time. 
(6) For the purposes of this section, the Board of Trade may make regulations 
prescribing anything which under this section is to be prescribed, md 
prescribing the mode in which notices are to be given and the particulars to be 
given in such notices, and the mode, time, frequency of the payment of IP/N/lIISRlCIl 
Page 9 
royalties, and any such regulations may, if the Board think fit, include 
regulations requiring payment in advance or otherwise securing the payment 
of royalties. 
(7) In the case of musical works published before the commencement of this Act, 
the foregoing provisions shall have effect, subject to the following modifications 
and additions: -
(a) The conditions as to the previous making by, or with the consent or 
acquiescence of, the owner of the copyright in the work, and the 
restrictions as to alterations in or omissions from the work, shall not 
apply: 
(b) The rate of two and a half per cent shall be substituted for the rate of 
five per cent as the rate at which royalties are to be calculated, but no 
royalties shall be payable in respect of contrivances sold before the frrst 
day of July, 1913, if contrivances. reproducing the same work have been 
lawfully made, or placed on sale, within the parts of His Majesty's 
dominions to which this Act extends before the first day of July; 1910: 
(c) Notwithstanding any assignment made before the passing of this Act of 
the copyright in a musical work, ant rights conferred by this Act in 
respect of the making, or authorizing the making, of contrivances by 
means of which the work may be mechanically performed shall belong 
to the author or his legal representative and not to the assignee, and the 
royalties aforesaid shall be payable to, and for the benefit of, the author 
of the work or his legal representatives: 
( d) The saving contained in this Act of the rights and interests arising from, 
or in connection with, action taken before the commencement of this 
Act shall not be construed as authorizing any person who has r.::ade 
conlrivances by means of which the work may be mechanically 
performed to sell any such contrivances, whether made before or after 
the passing of this Act, except on the terms and subject to the 
conditions laid down in this section: 
(e) Where the work is a work on which copyright is conferred by an Order 
in Council relating to a foreign country, the copyright so conferred shall 
not, except to such extent as may be provided by the Order, include any 
rights with respect to the making of records, perforated rolls, or other 
contrivances by means of which the work may be mechanically 
performed. 
(8) Notwithstanding anything in this Act, where a record, perforated roll, or other 
contrivances by means of which sounds may be mechanically reproduced has 
been made before the commencement of this Act, copyright shall, as from the 
commencement of this Act, subsist therein in like manner and for the like term 
as if this Act had been in force at the date of the making of the original plate 
from which the contrivance was directly or indirectly derived: Provided that -
(i) the person who, at the commencement of this Act, is the owner of such 
plate shall be the first owner of such copyright; and 
(ii) nOlhing in this provision shall be construed as conferring copyright in 
any such contrivance if the making thereof would have infringed 
copyright in some other such contrivance, if this provision had been in 
force at the time of the making of the first-mentioned contrivance. 
Provision as to political speeches 
20. Notwithstanding anything in this Act, it shall not be an infringement of copyright in IPINIlIISRJCIl 
Page 10 
an address of a political nature delivered at a public meeting to publish a report 
thereof in a newspaper. 
Provisions as to photographs 
21. The term for which copyright shall subsist in photographs shall be fifty years from the 
making of the original negative from which the photograph was directly or indirectly 
derived, and the person who was owner of such negative at the time when such 
negative was made shall be deemed to be the author of the work, and, where such 
owner is a body corporate, the body corporate shall be deemed for the purposes of 
this Act to reside within the parts of His Nlajesty's dominions to which this Act 
extends if it has established a place of business within such parts. 
Provisions as to registerable designs 
22. (1) l'his Act shall not apply to designs capable of being registered under the 
Patents and Designs Act, 1907, except designs which, though capable of being 
so registered, are not used or intended to be used as models or patterns to be 
multiplied by any industrial process. 
(2) General rules made under section 86 of the Patents and Designs Act, 1907, 
may be made for determining the conditions under which a design shall be 
deemed to be used for such purposes as aforesaid. 
Works of foreign authors first published in parts of His l'vIajesty's dominions to which this 
Act extends 
23. If it appears to His Majesty that a foreign country does not give, or has not 
undertaken to give, adequate protection to the works of British authors, it shall be 
lawful for His }V-Iajesty by Order in Council to direct that such of the provisions of this 
Act as confer copyright on works first published within the parts of His Majesty's 
dominions to which this Act extends, shall not apply to works published after the date 
specified in the Order, the authors whereof are subjects or citizens of such foreign 
country, and are nOl resident in His Majesty's dominions, and thereupon those 
provisions shaH not apply to such works. 
Existing works 
24. (1) \Vhere any person is immediately before the commencement of this Act 
entitled to any such right as is specified in the first column of the First 
Schedule to this Act, or to any interest in such a right, he shall, as from that 
date, be entitled to the substituted right set forth in the second column of that 
schedule, or to the same interest in such a substituted right, and to no other 
right or interest, and such substituted right shall subsist for the term for which 
it would have subsisted if the Act had been in force when the work was made 
and the work had been one entitled to copyright thereunder: Provided that -
(a) if the author of any work in which any such right as is specified in the 
first column of the First Schedule to this Act subsists at the 
commencement of this Act has, before that date, assigned the right or 
granted any interest therein for the whole term of the right, then at the 
date when but for the passing of this Act, the right would have expired 
the substituted right conferred by this section shall, in the absence of an 
express agreement, pass to the author of the work, and any interest 
therein created before the commencement of this Act and tllen 
subsisting shall determine; but the person who immediately before the IPIN/1IISRJC/I 
Page 11 
date at which the right would so have expired was the owner of the right 
or interest shall be entitled at his option either -
(i) on giving such notice as hereinafter mentioned, to an assignment 
of the right or the grant of a similar interest therein for the 
remainder of the term of the right for such consideration as, 
failing agreement, may be determined by arbitration; or 
(ii) without any such assignment or grant, to continue to reproduce 
or perform the work in like manner as theretofore subject to the.. 
payment, if demanded by the author within three years after t4e 
date at which the right would have so expired, of such royalties 
to the author as, failing agreement, may be determined by 
arbitration, or, where the work is incorporated in a collective 
work and the owner of the right or interest is the proprietor of 
that collective work, without any such payment; 
The notice above referred to must be given not more than one year nor 
less than SL,,{ months before the date at which the right would have so 
expired, and must be sent by registered post to the author, or, if he 
cannot with reasonabJe diligence be found, advertised in the London 
Gazette and in two London newspaper: 
(b) where any person has, before the twenty sixth day of July 1910, taken 
any action whereby he has incurred any expenditure or liability in 
connection with the reproduction or performance of any work in a 
manner which at the time was lawful, or for the purpose of or with a 
view to the reproduction or performance of any work in a manner which 
at a time when such reproduction or performance would, but for the 
passing of this Act, have been lawful, nothing in this section shall 
diminish or prejudice any rights or interest arising from or in connection 
with such action which are subsisting and valuable at the said date, 
unless the person, who by virtue of this section becomes entitled to 
restrain such reproduction or performance agrees to pay such 
compensation as, failing agreement, may be determined by arbitration. 
(2) For the purposes of this section, the expression "author" includes the legal 
representatives of a deceased author. 
(3) Subject to the provisions of section 19, subsections (7) and (8) and of section 
33 of this Act, copyright shall not subsist in any work made before the 
commencement of this Act, otherwise than under, and in accordance with, the 
provisions of this section. 
Application to Bdtish Possessions 
25. Repealed 
26. Repealed 
Power of legislatures of British possessions to pass supplemental legislation 
27. The Legislature of any Bri-tish possession to which this Act extends may modify or 
add to any of the provisions of this Act in its application to the possession, but, except 
so far as such modifications and additions relate to procedure and remedies, they IPtNll/ISRlCIl 
Page 12 
shall apply only to works the authors whereof were, at the time of the making of the 
work, resident in the possession, and to works first published in the possession. 
Application to protectorates 
28. His Majesty may, by Order in Council, extend this Act to any territories under his 
protection and to Cyprus, and, on the making of any such Order, this Act shall, 
subject to the provisions of the Order, have effect as if the territories to which it 
applies or Cyprus were part of His !\lajesty's dominions to which this Act extends. 
PART 11 -INTER.J.~ATIONAL COPYRIGHT 
29. Repealed 
30. Repealed 
PART III -SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISIONS 
Abrogation of common law rights 
31. No person shall be entitled to copyright or any similar right in any literary, dramatic, 
musical, or artistic work, whether published or unpublished, otherwise than under and 
in accordance with the provisions of this Act, or of any other statutory enactment for 
the time being in force, but nothing in this section shall be construed as abrogating 
any right or jurisdiction to restrain a breach of trust or confidence. 
Provision as to orders in council 
32. (1) His Majesty in Council may make Orders for altering, revoking, or varying any 
Order in Council made under this Act, or under any enactments repealed by 
this Act, but any Order made under this section shall not affect prejudicially 
any rights or interests acquired or accrued at the date when the Order comes 
into operation, and shall provide for the protection of such rights and interests. 
(2) Every Order in Council made under this Act shall be published in the London 
Gazette and shall be laid before both Houses of Parliament as soon as may be 
after it is made, and shall have effect as if enacted in this Act. 
Saving of university copyright 
33. Nothing in this Act shall deprive any of the universities and colleges mentioned in the 
Copyright Act 1775 of any copyright they already possess under that Act, but the 
remedies and penalties for infringement of any such copyright shall be under this Act 
and not under that Act. 
Saving of compensation to certain libraries 
34. There shall continue to be charged on, and paid out of, the Consolidated Fund of the 
United Kingdom such annual compensation as was immediately before the 
commencement of this Act payable in pursuance of any Act as compensation to a 
library for the loss of the right to receive gratuitous copies of books: Provided that 
this compensation shall not be paid to a library in any year, unless the Treasury are IPINIlIISRlCIl 
Page 13 
satisfied that the compensation for the previous year has been applied in the purchase 
of books for the use of and to be preserved in the library. 
Interpretation 
35. (1) In this Act, unless context otherwise requires, -
"Literary work" includes maps, charts, plans, tables, and compilations; 
"Dramatic work" includes any piece for recitation, choreographic work or 
. entertainment in dumb show, the scenic arrangement or acting form which is 
fLxed in writing or otherwise, and any cinematographic production where the 
arrangement or acting form or the combination of incidents represented give 
the work an original character; 
IIArtistic work" includes works of painting, drawing, sculpture and artistic 
craftsmanship, and architectural works of art and engravings and photographs; 
"Work of sculpture" includes casts and models; 
';Architectural work of art" means any building or structure having an artistic 
character or design, in respect of such character or design, or any model for 
such building or structure, provided that the protection afforded by this Act 
shall be confined to the artistic character and design, and shall not extend to 
processes and methods of construction; 
"Engravings" include etchings, lithographs, woodcuts, prints and other similar 
works, not being photographs; 
"Photograph" includes photo-lithograph and any work produced by any process 
analogous to photography; 
I1Cinematograph" includes any work produced by any process analogous to' 
cinematography; 
"Collective work" means -
(a) an encyclopedia, dictionary, year book, or similar work; 
(b) a newspaper, review, magazine, or similar periodical; and 
(c) any work written in distinct parts by different authors, or in which works 
or parts of works of different authors are incorporated; 
"Infringing," when applied to a copy of a work in which copyright subsists, 
means any copy, including any colorable imitation, made, or imported in 
contravention of the provisions of this Act; 
"Performance" means any acoustic representation of a work and any visual 
representation of any dramatic act~on in a work, including such a 
representation made by means of any mechanical instrument; 
"Delivery", in relation to a lecture, includes delivery by means of any 
mechanical instrument; 
"Plate" includes any stereotype or other plate, stone, block, mould, matrL"X, 
transfer or negative used or intended to be used for printing or reproducing 
copies of any work, and any matrL,,{ or other appliance by which records, 
perforatecl rolls or other contrivances for the acoustic representation of the 
\vork are or are intended to be made; 
"Lecture" includes address, speech, and sermon; 
"Self governing dominionll means the Dominion of Canada, the Commonwealth 
of Australia, the Dominion of New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, and 
Newfoundland. 
(2) For the purposes of this Act (other than those relating to infringements of 
copyright), a work shall not be deemed to be published or performed in public, 
and a leclure shall not be deemed to be delivered in public, if published, IP/N/l/ISRlC/l 
Page 14 
Repeal performed in public, or delivered in public, without the consent or 
acquiescence of the author, his executors, administrators or assigns. 
(3) Repealed 
(4) \Vhere, in the case of an unpublished work, the making of a work has extended 
over a considerable period, the conditions of this Act conferring copyright shall 
be deemed to have been complied with, if the author was, during any 
substantial part f that period, a British subject or a resident within the parts of 
His Majesty's dominions to which this Act extends. 
(5) For the purposes of the provisions of this Act as to residence, an author of a 
work shall be deemed to be a resident in parts of His Majesty's dominions to 
which this Act extends if he is domiciled within any such part. 
36. Subjec~ to the prOVISIons of this Act, the enactments mentioned in the Second 
Schedule to this Act are hereby repealed to the extent specified in the third column 
of that schedule: Provided that this repeal shall not take effect in any part of His 
:rvlajesty's dominions until this Act comes into operation in that part. 
Short title and commencement 
37. (1) This Act may be cited as the Copyright Act, 1911. 
(2) This Act shall come into operation -
(a) in the United Kingdom, on the first day of July 1912 or such earlier date 
as may be fL"{ed by Order in Council; 
(b) in a self governing dominion to which this Act extends, at such date as 
may be fixed by the Legislature of that dominion; 
(c) in the Channel Islands, at such date as may be fL"{ed by the States of 
those islands respectively; 
(d) in any other British possession to which this Act extends, on the 
proclamation thereof within the possession by the Governor. The existing right 
Copyright 
Copyright and right of performance SCHEDULE ONE 
(Seclion 24) . 
Existing Rights 
The Replacement Right IP INIlIISRlC/l 
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(a) in respect of works that are not 
dramatic or musical, copyright as 
defined in this Law 
(b) in respect of works that are dramatic 
or musical, copyright as dermed in 
this Law 
Copyright without right of performance copyright as defined in this Law, 
except for the exclusive right to 
perform the work or a significant 
portion of it in public. 
Right of performance, but not copyright the sole right to perform the work in 
public, but none of the other rights 
included in copyright, as defined in 
this Law. 
For purposes of this Schedule, the following terms, when used in the first column, shall have 
the following meanings: 
"copyright", for purposes of a work under the Law that prevailed immediately before the date 
of this Law, which was not published before that date and the copyright of which under the 
prevailing Law depends on its publication, includes the right under accepted Law (if such 
there is) to prevent publication of the work or dealing with it in some other manr:.er; 
"right of performance", in respect of a work that was not performed ir.. public before the date 
of this Law, includes the right under accepted Law (if such there is) to prevent performance 
of the work in public.