Copyright

Copyright protects literary and artistic works. The work must reflect the creative contribution of its author and must be independent and original. It must not be a copy or imitation of a previous work. To obtain copyright protection, the work must exceed the threshold of originality.

The subject of copyright protection may be, for example, a literary or explanatory written or oral presentation, a musical or stage work, a film work, a photographic work or other work of visual art, a product of architecture, art handicraft or industrial art. Computer programs can also be protected. Copyright cannot protect a subject, idea, method, principle, information content or plot.

Copyright belongs to the author of the work. The author is always a natural person. An organization or company can obtain copyrights by agreeing with the authors. In the case of computer programs, the copyright is created directly to the employer by law. Copyright is created when a work that exceeds the threshold of originality is created. No registration, notification or other formal requirements are required to obtain copyright. Copyright is valid from the moment of creation of the work for the entire lifetime of the author and for 70 years after his death.

Economic and moral rights

Copyright gives the author both economic and moral rights. Economic rights refer to the fact that the author has the exclusive right to decide on the production of copies of the work and its availability to the public, unchanged or changed, translated or adapted, in another literary or artistic genre or using another method of production.

Moral rights relate to the content of copyright. When a work is published or presented, the author’s name must be mentioned. However, the author also has the right to prohibit the mention of his name in connection with the work. The work must not be distorted, truncated or otherwise altered in a manner that offends the literary or artistic value or originality of the author. It must not be made available to the public in a form or context that offends the author. The license to use the work does not give the right to modify it, but separate permission must be obtained from the author for this.

Once a work has been published, anyone may produce a few copies for their private use. A work is considered published when it has been lawfully made available to the public.

Copyright can be transferred in whole or in part. Economic rights are transferable, but moral rights always remain with the author, except in limited individual cases.