South-East Asia IPR SME Helpdesk : What to know about copyright in SEA?
Date: 2022-03-17
Institutions: European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency
Subjects: Costa Rica, South-East Asia, advertising, atlas, copyright, database, designs and models, help desk, literary and artistic property, music, small and medium-sized enterprises, software

What to know about  
copyright in SEA?

Worldwide system
Copyright (or author’s right) is a legal term used to describe the rights that creators have over their literary and 
artistic works. 

Works  covered  by  copyright  range  from  books,  music,  paintings,  sculpture,  and  films,  to  computer  programs, 
databases, advertisements, maps, and technical drawings.

Literary 
works

Artistic 
works

Computer
programs

WHAT CAN 
BE PROTECTED 
UNDER 
COPYRIGHT?

Films,
Videos,
Musical
works

Architecture, 
Technical
drawings

Databases

Source: https://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/

Berne convention
for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works

HOW IS COPYRIGHT PROTECTED UNDER BERN CONVENTION?

Creation

Automatically Protected

Protection in            countries

179

NO formal registration 
requirement

WHAT ARE BASIC RIGHTS?

Publication

Assignment/
Licence

Claim 
authorship 

Films,
Videos,
Moral
Musicals,
Rights
works

Object to any
mutilation

Performance

Films,
Videos,
Economic
Musicals,
Rights
works

Broadcast

Reproduction

Translation

Moral rights shall, after the author’s death, 
be maintained, at least until the expiry  
of the economic rights.

DURATION 
OF 
PROTECTION

START

The  Berne  Convention  sets  out  the 
minimum protection time. The contracting 
parties  are  free  to  provide  for  longer 
protection terms. 

+

The general rule is that protection must be 
granted until the expiration of the  
50th year after the author’s death
• For cinematographic works,  
the minimum term is  
50 years after release.
• For works of applied art and 
photographic works, the 
minimum term is 25 years 
from the creation of the work.

Work is created

Authors death

≥ 50 

years

Source: https://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/berne/ 

Copyright protection in South-East Asia
Is it necessary to register copyright in SEA countries?

Which SEA countries are members  
of the Berne Convention?

  Member 
  Not member 

Under  the  Berne  Convention,  copyright  protection 
is  obtained  automatically  without  the  need  for 
registration.

However, most countries in the SEA have a system 
in  place  that  allows  for  the  voluntary  copyright 
registration.  This  can  help  solve  disputes  over 
ownership or creation, as well as facilitate financial 
transactions,  sales,  and  the  assignment  and/or 
transfer of rights. 

Moreover,  not  all  SEA  countries  are  currently 
members of the Convention.

Country

Official registration fee*

Average registration time 
(from the filing date)

Registration office

Brunei

No registration system 
(copyrighted work is automatically protected upon its creation as long as it qualifies for protection)

Cambodia

From €4 to €12  
(depending on the type of work)

Indonesia

From €24 to €36  
(depending on the type of work and the 
size of entity applying)

14 days

14 days

Laos

€3

Malaysia

From €35  
(additional costs may arise  
depending on the type of work)

2 to 3 months

3 to 6 months

Myanmar

A copyright registration system will be launched in Myanmar soon

Philippines

€12 for small entities  (≤€1 694 169)  
€15 for big entities  (>€1 694 169)

2 to 3 months

Department of Copyright and Related Rights Ministry of 
Culture and Fine Arts http://www.mcfa.gov.kh/

The Directorate General of Intellectual Property
Administrative of the Directorate of Copyright
http://en.dgip.go.id/

Department of Intellectual Property (DIP)
https://dip.gov.la/

Copyright Division - Intellectual Property 
Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO)
http://www.myipo.gov.my/

Intellectual Property Department (IPD)
https://ipd.gov.mm/

Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines
Bureau of Copyright
https://www.ipophil.gov.ph/

Singapore

No registration system 
(copyrighted work is automatically protected upon its creation as long as it qualifies for protection)

Thailand

No official fee

3 to 4 weeks

Vietnam

From €5 to €25 
(depending on the type of work) 

15 working days

Department of Intellectual Property 
https://www.ipthailand.go.th/en/

Copyright Office of Vietnam (COV)
http://www.cov.gov.vn/

* This is the official fee charged by the national office. These costs do not include agent fees, which may substantially raise the full cost of protection. 
The costs expressed in € are subject to change due to variations in the exchange rates.

Check out our Guide to Copyright Protection in SEA here

HELPLINE
fast & confidential
3       days

working

FREE

Email question@southeastasia-iprhelpdesk.eu
Website at https://ec.europa.eu/ip-helpdesk

10 Countries

Brunei

Myanmar

Cambodia

Philippines

Indonesia

Singapore

Laos

Thailand

Malaysia

Vietnam

© European Union, 2022.  
Reuse is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.  
The reuse policy of European Commission documents is regulated by Decision 2011/833/EU OJ L 330, 14.12.2011, p. 39. 

The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the position or opinion of the European Commission. The services of the South-
East Asia IP SME Helpdesk are not of a legal or advisory nature and no responsibility is accepted for the results of any actions made 
on the basis of its services. Before taking specific actions in relation to IP Protection or enforcement all customers are advised to seek 
independent advice. 

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2022

PDF 

ISBN 978-92-9469-046-3  doi:10.2826/599266  EA-07-22-009-EN-N

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