RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/Q/AUT/1
24October 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4453)
Original: English Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
REVIEW OFLEGISLATION ONCOPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS
Austria1
ThepresentdocumentreproducesthequestionsputtothedelegationofAustriaandtheresponses
given inthereview oflegislation oncopyright andrelated rights attheCouncil 'smeeting of
22to25July1996.2
_______________
I. REPLIES TOQUESTIONS POSED BYTHE UNITED STATES
1. Please explain whether andhowAustrian 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 ofblank tapelevies under Article 42oftheCopyright
Law.
TheAustrian legislation immediately provides protection forworks, phonograms and
performances fromother WTO Members onthebasisofTRIPS Articles 3and9.1.Thisisexpressly
acknowledged bytherelevant provisions oftheCopyright Statute, saying thattheprotection under
thislawforworks aswellasforperformances andforphonograms issubject tointernational treaties.
Thisalsoapplies tothedistribution ofblank tapelevies under Article 42oftheCopyright Statute, as
thesaidprovisions ontheprotection offoreigners contain noexception withregard totheblank tape
levy.
Therelevant provisions oftheCopyright Statute readasfollows:
Article 96.1:
"Fortheworks offoreign authors (Article 10.1) notprotected under Article 94orArticle 95,
copyright protection shallbeafforded, subject tointernational treaties, oncondition thattheworks
ofAustrian authors arealsoprotected inapproximately thesame wayintheStateofwhich theforeign
author isanational, butinanyevent tothesame extent asworks ofnationals ofthatState...".
1Austria 'snotification oflawsandregulations intheareaofcopyright andrelated rights under Article 63.2
oftheAgreement hasbeen circulated indocuments IP/N/1/AUT/1/Rev.1 andIP/N/1/AUT/C/1 and2.
2Theminutes ofthemeeting have been circulated indocument IP/C/M/8.IP/Q/AUT/1
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Article 97.1, 2:
"Recitals andperformances ofworks ofliterature andmusic thattakeplace inthiscountry
shallbeprotected under theprovisions ofArticles 66to72,irrespective ofthenationality ofthepersons
whose authorization isrequired under Article 66,paragraphs 1to5fortherecording oftherecital
ortheperformance onadevice recording images orsounds.
Inthecaseofrecitals andperformances thattakeplace abroad, Articles 66to72shallapply
infavour ofAustrian nationals. Foreigners shall beprotected inrespect ofsuch recitals and
performances,subjecttointernationaltreaties,onconditionthattherecitalsandperformancesofAustrian
nationals arealsoprotected inapproximately thesame wayintheState ofwhich theforeigner isa
national but,inanyevent, tothesameextent asrecitals andperformances ofnationals ofthatState...".
Article 99.1, 2,3,5:
"Sound recordings shallbeprotected inaccordance withArticle 76,regardless ofwhether and
howtheyarepublished, iftheproducer isanAustrian national. Article 98.2shallapply byanalogy.
Other sound recordings shallbeprotected inaccordance withArticle 76.1, 2and4to6ifthey
havebeenpublished inAustria.
Sound recordings offoreign producers thathavenotbeenpublished inAustria shallbeprotected
under Article 76.1, 2and4to6,subject tointernational treaties, oncondition thatthesound recordings
ofAustrian producers arealsoprotected inapproximately thesamewayintheStateofwhich theforeign
producer isanational butinanyevent tothesameextent asthephonograms ofnationals ofthatState...
Protection under Article 76.3maybeclaimed byforeigners, inanyevent, onlyinaccordance
withinternational treaties".
[Follow-up questions]
Theanswer didnotmake clear whether national treatment isprovided. Please confirm that
allrevenues generated fromtheimposition ofblank tapelevyschemes inAustria aredistributed on
thebasis ofnational treatment torightholders from allWTO Members, regardless ofthetypeof
rightholder.
Austrian lawprovides -asalready indicated intheanswer toquestion 1-thatallrevenues
generated fromtheimposition ofblank tapelevyschemes which havetobedistributed torightholders
are-inprinciple -distributed onthebasis ofnational treatment toallrightholders from allWTO
Members.
Theblank tapelevyissubject tocompulsory collective management andArticle II,paragraph 6
oftheFederal Lawof1980amending theCopyright Actprovides thatcollective societies distributing
equitable remuneration under thistitleshalltransfer toinstitutions forsocial andcultural purposes the
greater partoftheoverall revenue from suchremuneration, lesstherelevant administrative costs.
Inpractice, 51percentaretransferred tothesaidinstitutions sothat49percentremain fordistribution
torightholders. Thisrestriction concerns thescope oftherighttoequitable remuneration assuchand
applies toallrightholders including Austrian nationals.
Additionally, please confirm thatnational treatment isgranted toWTO origin works under
Articles 96,97and99oftheAustrian law,because eachprovides thatitsreciprocity-based provisions
are"subject tointernational treaties", andtheTRIPS Agreement constitutes suchatreaty.IP/Q/AUT/1
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Theruleofreciprocity onlyapplies ifthere isnotaninternational agreement which provides
fornational treatment. National treatment isgranted toWTO origin works under Articles 96,97and
99oftheAustrian law.
2. DoesAustria apply the“ruleoftheshorter term”tophonograms andperformances fromother
WTO Members? Ifso,please explain howyoujustify suchaction under TRIPS Article 4.
Austria doesnotapply the"rule oftheshorter term" toperformances andphonograms from
other WTO Members.
3. PleaseexplainwhetherandhowAustriaprotectsagainstboththedirectandindirectreproduction
ofphonograms asrequired byTRIPS Article 14.2, including bydigital transmission inthecontext of
interactive services.
Protection against both, direct andindirect reproduction isgranted bythefirstsentence of
Article 76.1oftheCopyright Statute, which reads asfollows:
"Any person whorecords acoustic performances onadevice fortherepeated reproduction
ofsounds (theproducer) shallhave, within thelimitations specified bythisAct,theexclusive right
tomultiply anddistribute thesound recording. Multiplication shallbedeemed toinclude theuseof
asound recording forreproduction onanother sound recording. Inthecaseofsound recordings that
arecommercially produced, theowner oftheenterprise shallbedeemed theproducer".
Thequestion alsorefers to"reproduction bydigital transmission inthecontext ofinteractive
services". Thisisanotion which isunknown totheAustrian Copyright Statute andwhich moreover
isambiguous. However, transmission assuchisnoactofreproduction, butactsofreproduction may
occur aspreparatory actsaswellasinthecourse ofatransmission andasaresult ofatransmission.
Allthese actsofreproduction arecovered bytheabove-mentioned provision.
[Follow-up question]
Doesthereproduction rightforphonograms under Austrian lawinclude indirect reproductions
made fromabroadcast?
Thereproduction rightforphonograms under Austrian lawincludes indirect reproduction made
fromabroadcast since thisfallsunder theuseofasound recording forreproduction onanother sound
recording expressly mentioned inArticle 76.1ofthecopyright statute.
4. PleaseexplainwhetherandhowAustriaprovidesfullretroactiveprotectiontoworks,phonograms
andperformances fromother WTO Members, asrequired byTRIPS Articles 9.1,14.6and70.2, each
ofwhich incorporate byreference orrelyupon Berne Article 18.Please givethedatebacktowhich
suchprotection extends withrespect toeachcategory ofsubject matter.
Thefullretroactive protection toworks, phonograms andperformances from other WTO
Members, asrequired byTRIPS Articles 9.1,14.6and70.2, isprovided bytheprovisions onthe
applicability oftheCopyright Statute quoted intheanswer toquestion 1.Thismeans thatprotection
extends backto1926 withrespect toworks (year inwhich theauthor died) andbackto1916 with
respect toperformances (year inwhich theperformance tookplace) andtophonograms (year ofthe
fixation orpublication).
5. Please explain howAustria reconciles Berne Article 14bis, incorporated through TRIPS
Article 9.1,withArticle 56d(1) ofthe1996 amendments toAustrian copyright lawwhich permits theIP/Q/AUT/1
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unauthorized public performance ofcinematographic works byowners ofhotels, motels andother public
accommodation establishments fortheirguests inexchange forremuneration.
ItistruethatArticle 14bisBCgrants anexclusive rightofpublic performance totheauthor
ofacinematographic work andthattheBerne Convention doesnotexpressly permit anexception with
regard tothisright. Nevertheless, itiscommonly acknowledged thatnational legislation mayprovide
so-calledminorexceptionswithregardtotheminimalrightsundertheBerneConventionwithoutexpress
permission; thisrulealsoapplies totheminimal rights under Article 14bisBC. Minor exceptions
arelimitations which onlyslightly affect therightwithout prejudicing itinsubstance.
Thelegallicence contained inArticle 56d.1oftheCopyright Statute issuchaminor exception,
compatible withtheBerne convention.
However, whether Article 56d.1oftheCopyright Statute isactually compatible with
Article 14bisBCisnotrelevant forthefollowing reasons:
Authors fromother member states oftheBerne Union mayinvoke minimal rights granted by
theBerne Convention immediately, therelevant provisions oftheBerne Convention havetheprecedence
ofapplicationinrelationtopossiblydivergingnationallegislation.Inotherwords,inAustriatherelevant
provisions oftheBerne Convention areselfexecuting anddiverging provisions inthenational legislation
onlyapply toAustrian nationals.
Austria 'sSupreme Court hasrecently confirmed thisinafundamental judgement
(SC31/01/1995 -"Ludus tonalis").
[Follow-up question]
Please indicate whether, andifsotowhatdegree, there areanyexceptions orlimitations on
thegrant ofacompulsory license toinnsandhotels toshow cinematographic works. Inparticular,
isthiscompulsory license limited to:
- lending ofvideocassettes;
- theelectronic transmission ofcinematographic works toindividual rooms;
- theshowing ofcinematographic works inpublic areas ofinnsandhotels; or
- anycombination ofthese uses?
Withrespect tothefourth paragraph ofyouranswer, please explain howarightholder might
challengethisprovision,usingthefactthattheBerneConventionisaself-executingtreatyunderAustrian
law? Need aparticular controversy arise, orcanadeclaratory judgement action bebrought?
Please alsoexplain whether theTRIPS Agreement isconsidered self-executing inAustria?
There arenospecial limitations onthegrant ofthelegallicense contained inArticle 56d.1
ofthecopyright statute.
Lending ofvideocassettes isnotcovered bythisprovision since thisisnotaperformance.
Theprovision isnotaimed atpermitting theelectronic transmission ofcinematographic works
toindividual rooms butitcannot beexcluded thatcourts interpret itinthissense.
Thecompulsory license islimited totheshowing ofcinematographic works inpublic areas
ofinnsandhotels provided thatonlylodging guests oftheinnorhotel haveaccess.IP/Q/AUT/1
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Arightholder might challenge thisprovision under thegeneral conditions ofAustrian lawon
civilactions butitwould havetobeinthecontext ofaparticular controversy.
TheTRIPS provisions onnational treatment andonmost-favoured-nation treatment are
self-executing inthesense explained intheanswer toquestion 1.
6. Please explain whether compilations ofdataaretreated ascollective works under Article 6
ofAustria ’scopyright law.
Compilations ofdataenjoy copyright protection under Article 6oftheCopyright Statute, which
reads asfollows:
"Compilations which constitute anoriginal intellectual production byreason ofthecombination
ofseparate contributions intoahomogenous whole, shallenjoy copyright protection ascollective works,
thecopyright, ifanyinthecontributions shallnotbeaffected".
Theterm"contributions", usedbythesaidprovision isnotrestricted toworks eligible for
copyright protection, butalsocomprises mere data.
7. Please explain whether andhowdatabases areprotected under Austrian law.
Forthetimebeing, databases areonlyprotected ascollective works inthemeaning ofArticle 6
oftheCopyright Statute.
8. 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 reliefisprovided inaccordance
withTRIPS Article 50.
Thequestion concerns provisions contained inPartIIIoftheTRIPS Agreement relating to
theenforcement ofintellectual property rights which willbesubject toareview procedure bytheCouncil
ofTRIPS scheduled forthesecond halfof1997. Therefore, atthisstage, noanswer isgiven.