NoC92/6 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 11.4.92
II
(PreparatoryActs)
COMMISSION
ProposalforaCouncilDirectiveharmonizingthetermofprotectionofcopyrightandcertain
relatedrights
(92/C92/06)
COM(92)33final—SYN395
(SubmittedbytheCommissionon23March1992)
THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,Whereastheminimumtermofprotectionlaiddownby
theBerneConvention,namelythelifeoftheauthorand
50yearsafterhisdeath,wasintendedtoprovide
protectionfortheauthorandthefirsttwogenerationsof
hisdescendants ;whereastheaveragelifespaninthe
Communityhasgrownlonger,tothepointwherethis
termisnolongersufficienttocovertwogenerations ;HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishingtheEuropean
EconomicCommunityandinparticularArticles57(2),
66,100aand113thereof,
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission ,
WhereascertainMemberStateshavegrantedaterm
longerthan50yearsafterthedeathoftheauthorin
ordertooffsettheeffectsoftheWorldWarsonthe
exploitationofauthors'works;incooperationwiththeEuropeanParliament,
HavingregardtotheopinionoftheEconomicand
SocialCommittee ,Whereasatthe1967Stockholmconferenceforthe
revisionoftheBerneConventioncertainMemberStates'
delegationsapprovedaresolutionaskingthecontracting
statestoextendthetermofcopyrightprotection ;
whereasinthediscussionswhichhavetakenplacewithin
theWorldIntellectualPropertyOrganization (WIPO)in
preparationforapossibleProtocoltotheBerne
Conventionthisquestionhasbeenputontheagenda;WhereastheBerneConventionfortheprotectionof
literaryandartisticworksandtheRomeConventionfor
theprotectionofperformers,producersofphonograms
andbroadcastingorganizationslaydownonlyminimum
termsofprotectionoftherightstheyreferto,leavingthe
contractingstatesfreetograntlongerterms;whereas
certainMemberStateshaveexercisedthisentitlement ;
whereasinadditioncertainMemberStateshavenot
becomepartytotheRomeConvention ;Whereasfortheprotectionofrelatedrightscertain
MemberStateshaveintroducedatermof50yearsafter
publicationordissemination ;whereasinotherMember
Stateswhicharecurrentlypreparinglegislationonthe
subjectthetermofprotectionchosenislikewise50
years; Whereasthereareconsequentlydifferencesbetweenthe
nationallawsgoverningthetermsofprotectionof
copyrightandrelatedrights,whichareliabletoimpede
thefreemovementofgoodsandfreedomtoprovide
services,andtodistortcompetitioninthecommon
market;whereas,therefore,withaviewtotheestab­
lishmentoftheinternalmarketanditsoperation
thereafter,thelawsoftheMemberStatesshouldbe
harmonizedsoastomaketermsofprotectionidentical
throughouttheCommunity ;WhereastheCommunityproposalsfortheUruguay
RoundnegotiationsundertheGeneralAgreementon
TariffsandTrade(GATT)provideforatermof
protectionforproducersofphonogramsof50yearsafter
firstpublication ;

11.4.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC92/7
WhereasArticles9and10ofCouncilDirective...on
rentalright,lendingright,andoncertainrightsrelated
tocopyrightmakeprovisionforminimumtermsof
protectiononly,subjecttoanylaterharmonization ;
whereastheseArticlesshouldberepealed,inorderto
alignthetermsofprotectionofthoserightsontheterms
laiddowninthisDirective;Whereasdueregardforestablishedrightsisoneofthe
generalprinciplesoflawprotectedbytheCommunity
legalorder;whereas,therefore,aharmonization ofthe
termsofprotectionofcopyrightandrelatedrights
cannothavetheeffectofreducingtheprotection
currentlyenjoyedbyrightholdersintheCommunity ;
whereasinordertokeeptheeffectsoftransitional
measurestoaminimumandtoallowtheinternalmarket
tobeginoperatinginpracticeon31December1992,the
harmonization ofthetermofprotectionshouldtake
placeonthebasisofalongterm; WhereasundertheBerneConventionphotographic
worksqualifyforaminimumtermofprotectionofonly
25yearsfromtheirmaking;whereas,moreover,certain
MemberStateshaveacompositesystemforthe
protectionofphotographicworks,whichareprotected
bycopyrightiftheyareconsideredtobeartisticworks
withinthemeaningoftheBerneConventionand
protectedunderoneormoreotherarrangementsifthey
arenotsoconsidered;whereasprovisionshouldbemade
forthecompleteharmonization ofthesedifferingterms
ofprotection;Whereasinitscommunication of17January1991,
'Follow-uptotheGreenPaper—Workingprogramme
oftheCommissioninthefieldofcopyrightandneigh­
bouringrights'('),theCommissionstressestheneedto
harmonizecopyrightandneighbouringrightsatahigh
levelofprotectionsincetheserightsarefundamentalto
intellectualcreationandtheirprotectionensuresthe
maintenanceanddevelopmentofcreativityintheinterest
ofauthors,culturalindustries,consumersandsocietyas
awhole;Whereasinordertoavoiddifferencesinthetermof
protectionitisnecessarythatwhenatermofprotection
beginstoruninoneMemberStateitshouldbegintorun
throughouttheCommunity ;Whereasinordertoestablishahighlevelofprotection
whichatthesametimemeetstherequirementsofthe
internalmarketandtheneedtoestablishalegal
environmentconducivetotheharmoniousdevelopment
ofliteraryandartisticcreationintheCommunity,the
termofprotectionforcopyrightshouldbeharmonized
at70yearsafterthedeathoftheauthoror70yearsafter
theworkislawfullymadeavailabletothepublic,andfor
relatedrightsat50yearsaftertheeventwhichsetsthe
termrunning;WhereasArticle6a(2)oftheBerneConventionprovides
thatthemoralrightsoftheauthoraretobemaintained
afterhisdeathatleastuntiltheexpiryoftheeconomic
rights;whereasthatprovisioncanusefullybetakenover
inthisDirective,withoutprejudicetoanypossiblelater
harmonization ofmoralrights;
Whereasthesetermsshouldbecalculatedfromthefirst
dayofJanuaryoftheyearfollowingtherelevantevent,
astheyareintheBerneandRomeConventions ;Whereasthetermsofprotectionlaiddowninthis
Directiveshouldalsoapplytoliteraryandartisticworks
whosecountryoforiginwithinthemeaningoftheBerne
Conventionis'athirdcountry,butprotectionshouldnot
exceedthatfixedinthecountryoforiginofthework;
Whereas,wherearightholderwhoisnotaCommunity
nationalqualifiesforprotectionunderaninternational
agreement,thetermofprotectionofrelatedrights
shouldbethesameasthatlaiddowninthisDirective,
exceptthatitshouldnotexceedthatfixedinthecountry
ofwhichtherightholderisanational;WhereasArticle1ofCouncilDirective91/250/EECof
14May1991onthelegalprotectionofcomputer
programs(2)providesthatMemberStatesaretoprotect
computerprograms,bycopyright,asliteraryworks
withinthemeaningoftheBerneConvention(ParisAct,
1971);whereasthepresentDirectiveharmonizesthe
termofprotectionofliteraryworksintheCommunity ;
whereasArticle8ofDirective91/250/EEC,which
merelymakesprovisionalarrangementsgoverningthe
termofprotectionofcomputerprograms,should
accordinglyberepealed;Whereasthisprovisionmustnotbeallowedtobring
MemberStatesintoconflictwiththeirinternational obli­
gations;whereasinternationalobligationsmayrequire
theMemberStatestoaccorddifferenttreatmentto
third-countrynationalsandtheirworks,andthismay
leadtodisturbancesontheCommunitymarket;whereas
aprocedureshouldthereforebelaiddownwhichenables
suchdifficultiestoberemedied;(')COM(90)584final.
(2)OJNoL122,17.5.1991,p.42.

NoC92/8 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 11.4.92
Whereasrightholdersshouldbeabletoenjoythelonger
termsofprotectionintroducedbythisDirectiveequally
throughouttheCommunityprovidedtheirrightshave
notyetexpiredon31December1994,
HASADOPTEDTHISDIRECTIVE :2.Therightsofproducersofphonogramsshallrun
for50yearsfromthefirstpublicationofthephonogram .
However,theyshallexpire50yearsafterthefixation
wasmadeifthephonogramhasnotbeenpublished
duringthattime.
3.Therightsofproducersofthefirstfixationsof
cinematographic worksandofsequencesofmoving
images,whetherornotaccompaniedbysound,shall
expire50yearsafterthefirstpublication .However,they
shallexpire50yearsafterthefixationwasmadeifthe
workorsequenceofmovingimageshasnotbeen
publishedduringthattime.
4.Therightsofbroadcastingorganizations shallrun
for50yearsfromthefirsttransmissionofabroadcast .Article1
1.Therightsofanauthorofaliteraryorartistic
workwithinthemeaningofArticle2oftheBerne
Conventionshallrunforthelifeoftheauthorandfor70
yearsafterhisdeath,irrespectiveofthedatewhenthe
workislawfullymadeavailabletothepublic.
2.Inthecaseofaworkofjointauthorshiptheterm
referredtoinparagraph 1shallbecalculatedfromthe
deathofthelastsurvivingauthor.Article3
Protectedphotographsshallhavethetermofprotection
providedforinArticle1.
3.Inthecaseofanonymousorpseudonymous works,
ofworksconsideredunderthelegislationofaMember
Statetohavebeencreatedbyalegalpersonandof
collectiveworks,thetermofprotectionshallrunfor70
yearsaftertheworkislawfullymadeavailabletothe
public.However,whenthepseudonymadoptedbythe
authorleavesnodoubtastohisidentity,oriftheauthor
discloseshisidentityduringtheperiodreferredtointhe
firstsentence,thetermofprotectionapplicableshallbe
thatlaiddowninparagraph 1.Article4
1.WhenanyofthetermsreferredtoinArticles1to3
beginstoruninaMemberStateitshallbeconsideredto
begintorunthroughouttheCommunity .
2.Wherethecountryoforiginofawork,withinthe
meaningoftheBerneConvention,isathirdcountry,
andtheauthoroftheworkisnotaCommunitynational,
thetermofprotectiongrantedbytheMemberStates
shallexpireonthedateofexpiryoftheprotection
grantedinthecountryoforiginofthework,butmay
notexceedthetermlaiddowninArticle1.4.Anonymousorpseudonymous worksshallnotbe
protectedifitisreasonabletopresumethattheirauthor
hasbeendeadfor70years.
5.Whereaworkispublishedinvolumes,parts,
instalments ,issuesorepisodesandthetermofprotection
runsfromthetimewhentheworkwaslawfullymade
availabletothepublic,thetermofprotectionshallrun
foreachsuchitemseparately .
6.Inthecaseofcollectiveworksorworkscreatedby
alegalperson,ifpublicationasreferredtoinparagraph
3hasnottakenplace,theworkshallbeprotectedfor70
yearsfromitscreation.3.ThetermsofprotectionlaiddowninArticle2shall
alsoapplyinthecaseofrightholderswhoarenot
Communitynationals,providedMemberStatesgrant
themprotection .However,thetermofprotection
grantedbyMemberStatesshallexpirenolaterthanthe
dateofexpiryoftheprotectiongrantedinthecountryof
whichtherightholderisanational.
4.Pendingtheconclusionofanyfutureinternational
agreementsonthetermofprotectionbycopyrightor
relatedrights,thedecisionmaybetakenbymeansofthe
proceduresetoutinArticle9:
(a)towaiveortovarytherulerequiringacomparison
ofthetermsofprotectionincertainthirdcountries
whichislaiddowninparagraphs2and3,
particularlyinordertopreventMemberStatesfrom
beingbroughtintoconflictwiththeirinternational
obligations ;inanyevent,however,thetermgranted
maynotexceedthatlaiddowninArticles1and2;Article2
1.Therightsofperformersshallrunfor50years
fromthefirstpublicationofthefixationofthe
performanceoriftherehasbeennopublicationofthe
fixation,fromthefirstdisseminationoftheperformance .
However,theyshallexpire50yearsafterthe
performanceiftherehasbeennopublicationordissemi­
nationduringthattime.

11.4.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC92/9
(b)totakeappropriatemeasureswhereprotectionis
grantedtothird-countrynationalsbysomeMember
Statesonly,andthisfactcausesappreciable
distortionofcompetitionordeflectionoftradeinthe
Communitymarket.
Article5
ThetermslaiddowninthisDirectiveshallrunfromthe
firstdayofJanuaryoftheyearfollowingtheevent
whichgivesrisetothem.
Article6
1.ThisDirectiveshallapplytorightswhichhavenot
expiredonorbefore31December1994.However,this
Directiveshallnothavetheeffectofshorteningtermsof
protectionwhichunderthelawsofMemberStatesare
alreadyrunning.
2.Themoralrightsgrantedtotheauthorshallbe
maintainedatleastuntiltheexpiryoftheeconomic
rights.
Article7
1.Article8ofDirective91/250/EECishereby
deleted.
2.Articles9and10ofDirective ...arehereby
deleted.
Article8
1.MemberStatesshallimmediatelynotifythe
Commissionofanyplantograntnewrelatedrights,
indicatingthegroundsfortheirintroductionandthe
termofprotectionenvisaged .
2.MemberStatesshalldeferadoptionoftheplans
referredtoinparagraph 1forthreemonthsfromthe
dateofnotificationtotheCommission .Thisperiodshall
beextendedto12monthsif,withinthreemonthsof
notification ,theCommissioninformstheMemberState
thatitintendstoproposeaDirectiveonthesubject.Article9
TheCommissionshallbeassistedbyacommitteeofan
advisorynaturecomposedofrepresentatives ofthe
MemberStatesandchairedbytherepresentativeofthe
Commission .
TherepresentativeoftheCommissionshallsubmittothe
committeeadraftofthemeasurestobetaken.The
committeeshalldeliveritsopiniononthedraft,withina
timelimitwhichthechairmanmaylaydownaccording
totheurgencyofthematter,ifnecessarybytakinga
vote.
Theopinionshallberecordedintheminutes;in
addition,eachMemberStateshallhavetherighttoask
tohaveitspositionrecordedintheminutes.
TheCommissionshalltaketheutmostaccountofthe
opiniondeliveredbythecommittee .Itshallinformthe
committeeofthemannerinwhichitsopinionhasbeen
takenintoaccount.
Article10
1.MemberStatesshallbringintoforcethelaws,
regulationsandadministrative provisionsnecessaryto
complywithArticles1to7ofthisDirectiveby31
December1992.
WhenMemberStatesadopttheseprovisions,theseshall
containareferencetothisDirectiveorshallbeaccom­
paniedbysuchreferenceatthetimeoftheirofficial
publication .Theprocedureforsuchreferenceshallbe
adoptedbyMemberStates.
MemberStatesshallcommunicate totheCommission
thetextsoftheprovisionsofnationallawwhichthey
adoptinthefieldgovernedbythisDirective.
2.MemberStatesshallapplyArticle8fromthedate
onwhichthisDirectivetakeseffect.
Article11
ThisDirectiveisaddressedtotheMemberStates.