1 
This is an unofficial translation of the Law (2020:540) amending the Copyright Act 
(1960: 729) literary and artistic works . Should there be any differences between 
this translation and the authentic Swedish text, the authentic Swedish text will 
prevail.  
 
 
 
 
Law (2020:540)  
amending the Copyright Act (1960: 729) literary and 
artistic works  
Issued on the 17th of June 2020 
 
 
Article 531    Anyone who, in respect of a literary or artistic work, commits 
an act which infringes the copyright enjoyed in the work under the 
provisions of Chapters 1 and 2 or which violates directions given under 
Article 41, second Paragraph, or Article 50, if the act is committed 
intentionally or by gross negligence, is punishable for copyright violation  
with a fine or imprisonment for up to two years. This also apply if someone brings in a copy of a work into Sweden with the aim to distribute it to the 
public, i f the copy has been produced abroad and the corresponding 
production here would have been punishable under the first sentence.  
If the violation was committed intentionally and is considered serious, the 
person is punishable for serious copyright violatio n with imprisonment for 
a minimum of six months up to a maximum of six years. When assessing 
whether the violation is serious, particular consideration has to be given to 
whether the act concerned  
1. has been preceded by particular planning,  
2. was part of criminal activities conducted in an organised form, was  
3. conducted on a large scale,  
4. was otherwise of a particularly dangerous nature.  
Anyone who for his personal use reproduces a computer program which 
has been  published or of which a copy has been transferred with the consent 
of the author shall  not be subject to criminal liability, if the master copy for 
the reproduction is not being used in commercial or public activities and he 
or she does not use the copies produced of the computer program for any 
purposes other than his or her personal use. Anyone who for his or her 
personal use has made a copy in digital form of a compilation in digital form  
which has been made the public shall, under the same conditions, not be 
subject to criminal  liability for the act.  
Anyone who has violated an injunction issued with a penalty of a fine 
pursuant to Article 53 b,  must not be held liable for infringements covered 
by the injunction.  
Responsibility is assigned under Chapter 23 of the Crimi nal Code for 
attempting to commit or preparation of copyright violation or serious 
copyright violation. (Act 2020:540)  
 
 
1Latest  version 2005:360.   
  
 2 SFS 
 Article 592    The prosecutor may initiate a prosecution for violations 
referred to in this Act only if the prosecution is motivated for being in the 
public interest.  
An action relating to a violation of the provisions in Article 3 or of 
directions given under Article 41, second Paragraph, may always be brought by the surviving spouse of the author, by his relatives in the direct ascendi ng 
or descending line or by his brothers or sisters.  
If there is reason to believe that a criminal violation under this Act has 
occurred, property referred to in Article 55 may be taken into custody. In such cases the rules governing custody in criminal c ases in general apply. 
(Act 2020:540).  
                       
This Act  enters int o force on the 1 September 2020.  
 
 
 
2Latest version 2005: 359