RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/Q/DEU/1
24October 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4451)
Original: English Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
REPLIES OFLEGISLATION ONCOPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS
Germany1
ThepresentdocumentreproducestheintroductorystatementmadebythedelegationofGermany
inthereview oflegislation oncopyright andrelated rights attheCouncil 'smeeting of
22to25July19962,thequestions puttoitandtheresponses given.
_______________
I. INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT
Thecodification ofGerman Copyright Lawiscontained intheCopyright Act1965, aslast
amended in1995. Provisions oncollective administration ofcopyright arecontained intheActon
Collective Administration ofCopyright, 1965. Updated versions ofbothofthese Actshavebeen
distributed bytheWTO Secretariat (documents IP/N/1/DEU/C/1 and2).
TheCopyright Actisorganized infiveparts:
PartI deals withauthors 'rights, namely protected works, authorship, moral rights,
exclusive economic rights andlimitations. Aspecial subdivision (No.VIII)
isdedicated tocomputer programs.
PartII covers neighbouring rights ofinteraliaperformers, producers ofphonograms
andbroadcasters.
PartIII contains special provisions onaudiovisual productions.
PartIV addresses remedies against infringement aswellasborder measures.
PartV,Subdivision 1
contains theprovisions onprotection onforeign rightholders ofthevarious
categories.
1Germany 'snotification oflawsandregulations intheareaofcopyright andrelated rights under Article 63.2
ofthe Agreement has been circulated indocuments IP/N/1/DEU/1/Rev.1, IP/N/1/DEU/C/1,
IP/N/1/DEU/C/1/Add.1 andIP/N/1/DEU/C/2.
2Theminutes ofthemeeting have been circulated indocument IP/C/M/8.IP/Q/DEU/1
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Amendments in1993and1995havestrengthened protection ofcomputer programs, introduced
aglobal exclusive rental right forauthors, phonogram producers andperformers andextended the
duration ofprotection forphonograms producers upto50years. Inthisway,theCopyright Actwas
brought inlinewithTRIPS standards
TheTRIPS Agreement, asanintegral partoftheWTO Agreement, hasbeenapproved by
Parliament intheformofanormative legislative act(lawofapproval). Itisanestablished legaltradition
inGermany thattheprovisions ofinternational treaties areapplied directly intheGerman legalorder
inparticular withrespect toprivate rights andobligations, where thecontents ofthetreaty provisions
aresufficiently precise tobeapplied thisway(self-executing provisions). Inthememorandum
accompanying thebillbywhich theWTO Agreement wassubmitted toParliament forapproval, the
government hasconfirmed thisgeneral principle inparticular withrespect totheTRIPS Agreement.
II. REPLIES TOQUESTIONS POSED BYTHE UNITED STATES
1. Please explain whether andhowGerman lawprovides protection forworks, phonograms and
performances fromother WTO Members, andwhether andhowitdoessoonthebasis ofnational
treatment, asrequired byTRIPS Article 3(generally, withrespect toallcopyrights andneighbouring
rights) andArticle 9.1(incorporating Berne Article 5(1)). Inparticular, please explain hownational
treatment isafforded withrespect tothedistribution oflevies forprivate copying under therelevant
provisions oftheGerman Copyright Law.
I. Firstsentence
National treatment infavour ofWTO Members operates asfollows:
(a) Authors (excluding phonogram producers andperforming artists whobothare,assuch,
neighbouring rightholders under German law).
1. Section 120Copyright Actprovides protection forworks ofauthors ofGerman
nationality irrespective oftheplace ofpublication andirrespective ofwhether
publication hasatalloccurred.
2. Section 121,paragraph 1provides protection forworks firstorsimultaneously
published inGermany, irrespective ofthenationality oftheauthor.
3. Section 121,paragraph 4provides protection forworks offoreign authors to
theextent provided byinternational agreements towhich Germany isa
Contracting Party. Suchagreements aretheBerne Convention aswellasthe
TRIPS Agreement. Thenational treatment obligation under Articles 3and
9,paragraph 1TRIPS isthusmaterially incorporated intheCopyright Act.
Consequently, theextent oftheprotection offoreign authors under thissection
depends exclusively ontheinterpretation ofthese treaty provisions, because
theprotection ofGerman authors under German law-seesection 120above -
isnotlimited byanyfurther criterion ofeligibility. Theexceptions from
national treatment provided forintheBerne Convention andaccepted under
Article 3TRIPS arealsomaterially incorporated inGerman copyright lawby
section 121,paragraph 4.IP/Q/DEU/1
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(b) Phonogram producers
1. Section 126,paragraph 1provides thatGerman nationals andcompanies with
German headquarters benefit from theprotection ofphonogram producers
irrespective oftheplace ofpublication oftheirphonograms andirrespective
ofwhether publication hasatalloccurred.
2. Section 126,paragraph 2provides thatprotection isgranted forphonograms
firstorsimultaneously published inGermany irrespective ofthenationality
oftheproducer or,iftheproducer isacompany, ofthelocation ofits
headquarters.
3. Section 126,paragraph 3provides thatforeign citizens andcompanies having
theirheadquarters outside Germany benefit from theprotection afforded to
phonogram producers totheextent provided ininternational agreements to
which Germany isacontracting party. TRIPS issuchanagreement. The
national treatment obligations under Article 3TRIPS, including theexceptions
provided forintheRome Convention, arethusmaterially incorporated inthe
German Copyright Act.
Consequently, theextent oftheprotection offoreign producers depends
exclusively ontheinterpretation ofArticle 3TRIPS because theprotection
ofGerman producers under section 126,paragraph 1isnotsubject toany
further criteria ofeligibility.
AsfarastheRome Convention isconcerned, Germany hasnotified toWTO
thatitdoesnotapply thecriterion offixation.
AsGerman copyright lawdoesnotacknowledge phonogram producers as
authors, Article 9,paragraph 1TRIPS cannot beinvoked infavour ofthem.
(c) Performing artists
1. Section 125, paragraph 1grants protection toGerman performing artists
irrespective oftheplace oftheperformance andirrespective oftheplace of
publication orthefixation oftheirperformance.
2. Performing artists aregranted certain specific exclusive rights either
unconditionally orunder certain conditions, according tosection 125,
paragraphs 2-4and6.
3. Section 125,paragraph 5provides inaddition, thatforeign performing artists
aregranted protection totheextent provided forininternational agreements
towhich Germany isacontracting party. TRIPS issuchanagreement. The
national treatment obligation under Article 3TRIPS isthus materially
incorporated intheGerman Copyright Act. Consequently, theextent ofthe
protectionofforeignperformingartistsdependsexclusivelyontheinterpretation
ofArticle 3TRIPS because theprotection ofGerman performing artists under
section 125, paragraph 1(above) isnotsubject toanyfurther criteria of
eligibility.IP/Q/DEU/1
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II. Second sentence -national treatment withrespect tothedistribution oflevies forprivate
copying
Thestatutory remuneration rightforprivate copying under section 54oftheCopyright
Actisgranted, onthebasis ofnational treatment, onlytoauthors from WTO Members.
Performing artists andphonogram producers fromWTO Members donotbenefit, as
such, from theGerman private copying levyscheme.
Consequently, thefollowing explanations dealonlywiththeremuneration right of
authors.
Ithaslongbeenrecognized inGerman legalpractice thatBerne Union Authors enjoy
thestatutory remuneration rightforprivate copying under section 54oftheCopyright Act.
Consequently, theGerman government considers that,asfrom 1996, thislegalpractice will
extend toauthors from WTO Members.
Astotheoperation oftheremuneration rightthefollowing explanations maybeuseful.
Theremuneration right issubject tocompulsory collective administration, see
section54h,paragraph1.Thismeansthatthelevyiscollectedjointlybythecollectingsocieties
representing thevarious groups ofrightholders. Itmeans further thatauthors must be
represented byacollecting society inorder tobeabletoclaim participation inthedistribution
ofthemoney received which thecollecting society operates according tothedistribution scheme
thatithasautonomously established andwhose guidelines form partofitsstatute (section 7
oftheCopyright Administration Act).
Section 6oftheCopyright Administration Actobliges collecting societies torepresent
rightholders ofGerman orother EUnationality whosoclaim. According tothepredominant
legalopinion oftheGerman copyright community, thislegalobligation operates alsoinfavour
ofthose other foreign rightholders whobenefit from national treatment inrespect ofrights
thataresubject tocompulsory collective administration.
Onthedistribution ofthetotalincome from thelevyforprivate copying, various
agreements havebeeninforce among theparticipating collecting societies. Agreements have
alsobeen concluded withcertain foreign rightholders 'organizations ontheir share inthe
distribution.
Thelegality ofthedistribution practice operated bythecollecting societies issubject
tosupervision bytheGerman Patent Office asthestatesupervisory authority.
2. Does Germany apply the"rule oftheshorter term" tophonograms andperformances from
other WTO Members? Ifso,please explain howyoujustify suchaction under TRIPS Article 4.
Aswemaynothavecorrectly understood whatisprecisely meant bytheruleoftheshorter
terminrespect ofphonograms andperformances, thefollowing explanation endeavours toexhaustively
cover theduration ofprotection under German lawforphonogram producers andperforming artists
from WTO Members.
Ashasbeenstated above (answer toquestion 1,I.b)andc)),section 125,paragraph 5and
section 122,paragraph 3grant toforeign performing artists andphonogram producers protection to
theextent provided ininternational agreements. Inthismanner, theprovision ofTRIPS Article 14,IP/Q/DEU/1
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paragraph 5,firstsentence, ismaterially implemented inGerman law.The50-year termofprotection
defined therein isapplicable torightholders from WTO Members.
Bythejointoperation oftheafore-mentioned provisions, section 125,paragraph 7andsection
126,paragraph 2,second sentence, areoverruled. Otherwise thelatterprovisions would indeed provide
forshorter terms onthebasis ofacomparison ofterms ofprotection.
3. Please explain whether andhowGermany protects against both thedirect andindirect
reproduction ofphonograms asrequired byTRIPS Article 14.2, including bydigital transmission in
thecontext ofsubscription orinteractive services.
Thequestion refers totheexclusive reproduction rightofphonogram producers under TRIPS
Article 14,paragraph 2.Thisright isenshrined insection 85,paragraph 1oftheCopyright Act.
Thewording ofthissection doesnotspecify whether thereproduction maybedirect orindirect.
Consequently, bothwaysofreproduction arecovered bytheexclusive right. Inparticular, reproduction
onthebasis ofthebroadcast ofphonograms iscovered bythisright. Thislong-standing German
interpretive practice hasbeenfurther secured bythenecessity tointerpret theGerman copyright law
inlinewithDirective 92/100/EEC, whose Article 7,paragraph 1obliges Member States toprovide
forphonogram producers theexclusive righttoauthorize orprohibit thedirect orindirect reproduction
oftheirphonograms.
Theprovisions oftheCopyright Actonthereproduction rightdonotspecifically address digital
transmission inthecontext ofsubscription orinteractive services. Significant caselawhasnotyet
developed inthisarea. Theextent towhich actsofdigital transmission orpreparatory actsarecovered
bythereproduction rightdepends onajudgment onthetechnical circumstances ofthese acts.
TheFederal Government iscurrently engaged intheexamination oftheneedforlegislative
clarifications ofthenotion ofreproduction inthedigital environment aswellasforaneworwidened
exclusive rightofphonogram producers covering actsofdigital dissemination.
[Follow-up question]
Does thereproduction rightforphonograms intheGerman Copyright Act,initscurrent form,
clearly cover thedigital delivery ofpermanent copies ofphonograms?
Assuming thattheperson operating thedigital delivery engages inhaving thephonogram
reproduced inapermanent manner atthereceiving endofthedigital transmission, thatactof
reproduction isconsidered tobecovered bythereproduction rightofthephonogram producer under
section 85.1.
4. Please explain whether andhowGermany provides fullretroactive protection toworks,
phonograms andperformances fromother WTO Members, asrequired byTRIPS Articles 9.1,14.6
and70.2, eachofwhich incorporate byreference orrelyuponBerne Article 18.Please givethedate
backtowhich suchprotection extends withrespect toeachcategory ofsubject matter.
I. Principle ofretroactive protection
(a) Works
Thewaythatauthors fromWTO Members areprotected hasbeenexplained inanswer
toquestion 1,partI,a).Theobligation toprovide fullretroactive protection oftheir
works(TRIPSArticle9,paragraph1)inconjunctionwithBerneConventionArticle18,IP/Q/DEU/1
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paragraph 1,isdirectly applicable inGerman law. Itmaybeofinterest herethat
Article 18,paragraph 1oftheBerne Convention hasbeenoperated inthesense of
fullretroactive protection inGermany foralongtimeinfavour ofnewBerne Union
members, including theUnited States ofAmerica.
Onthebasis ofthe"lifeplus70years" ruleintheGerman Copyright Act,Article 7,
paragraph 8oftheBerne Convention andonthebasisthatthesubstantive obligations
oftheTRIPS Agreement became effective on1January 1996, retroactive protection
extends toworks ofauthors whodidnotdiebefore 1926, unless thecountry oforigin
provides forashorter terminwhich casethattermisnotexceeded. Asaminimum,
thelifeplus50years ruleofArticle 7,paragraph 1oftheBerne Convention applies.
(However, thecomparison oftheterms ofprotection allowed under Article 7,
paragraph 8oftheBerne Convention isexcluded inrelation totheUnited States of
America byvirtue ofabilateral Agreement of1892.)
(b) Phonograms andperformances
Theextension oftheprotection oftheCopyright Acttophonogram producers and
performing artists fromWTO Members hasbeenexplained intheanswer toquestion 1,
partI.b)andc).
Theobligation toprovide fullretroactive protection fortheses rightholders (TRIPS
Article 14,paragraph 6,second sentence, inconjunction withBerne Convention
Article 18,paragraph 1)isdirectly applicable inGerman lawaswell.
Onthebasis ofTRIPS Article 14,paragraph 5,firstsentence, andonthebasis that
thesubstantiveobligationsofTRIPSbecameeffectiveon1January1996,theretroactive
protectionextendstofixationsthatweremadeorperformancesthattookplacenotearlier
thanin1945.
II. Transitional rules
NospecifictransitionalruleshavebeenadoptedastothecopyrightprovisionsofTRIPS.
However, thetransitional rulesrecently adopted inthecourse oftheimplementation ofvarious
EEC directives apply mutatis mutandis ,inthefollowing way:
(a) Where protection isestablished retroactively actsofexploitation thatwerecommenced
priorto1January1996,maybecontinuedwithintheinitiallyintendedscope.However,
rightholders shallbeentitled toequitable remuneration forthiscontinued exploitation
(seesection 137f, subsection 3).
(b) Theexclusive rental rightofauthors ofcomputer programmes shallnotextend tothose
copies ofprogrammes thatwere acquired bytherental operator forthepurpose of
rental before 1January 1996 (seesection 137d).
(c) Theexclusive rental rightofauthors, phonogram producers andperforming artists shall
notextend tothose copies ofphonograms which wereacquired ormade available to
therental operator forthepurpose ofrental before 1January 1996(seesection 137e,
sub-section 3).IP/Q/DEU/1
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5. Please explain thecriminal andcivilremedies available forcopyright infringement andthe
extent towhich theyfullyimplement theobligations inTRIPS Articles 41,45,50and61. Inthe
response, please specify, interalia,whether these remedies mayinclude theseizure, forfeiture and
destruction ofinfringing articles andequipment usedtomake theinfringing articles, asrequired by
Articles 46and61,andthemanner inwhich thegrant ofcivilprovisional relief isprovided inaccordance
withTRIPS Article 50.
Areview oftheenforcement provisions ofTRIPS willbesubject toareview procedure by
theCouncil onTRIPS atalaterstage, afterthereview ofthesubstantive provisions oncopyright,
trademarks, patents, etc.,seeWTO documents IP/C/W/7/Rev.1 of16November 1995 andIP/C/5
of30November 1995. Therefore, theanswer toquestion 5willbegiven atthatlatercouncil meeting.