Copyright Software Protection in the EC

Specialists from each Member State of the EC describe the copyright provisions of their country, both in general and with respect to software, and then provide detailed descriptions of the way in which their country has enacted or intends to enact the directive.

On May 14 1991 the Council of the European Communities adopted the directive on the legal protection of computer programs. Pursuant to this directive the Member States "shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this directive before 1 January 1993". Article 1 of the directive states that the Member States shall protect computer programs by copyright, as literary works. At the time of publication, not all the Member States had complied with the directive, although they did have bills pending. Specialists from each Member State of the EC describe the copyright provisions of their country, both in general and with respect to software, and then provide detailed descriptions of the way in which their country has enacted or intends to enact the directive. Most of the contributions contain a translation of the relevant statutory provisions. Chapter 1 of the book desrcibes the provisions of the directive in detail. Thus the reader should be able to obtain an overview of the protection of computer programs in the EC.

The EC directive on software copyright protection, Alfred P. Meijboom - the effect of the directive, the software copyright directive, subject matter of protection, ownership of copyright, exclusive rights, exceptions to exclusive rights, special measures, term of protection, the transitional provision
Belgium, Fernand De Visscher - copyright protection in Belgium, implementation of the EC directive, annex - Belgian draft bill
Denmark, Mads Bryde Andersen and Peter Schonning - copyright protection in Denmark, implementation of the EC directive
France, Emmannuel Michau - copyright protection in France, implementation of the EC directive, annex - the French bill
Germany, Thomas Hoeren - copyright protection in Germany, implementation of the EC directive
Greece, Leonidas Kanellos - copyright protection in Greece, implementation of the EC directive, annex - the Greek copyright act
Ireland, Robert Clark - copyright protection in Ireland, implementation of the EC directive
Italy, Avv. Aldo Frignani and Paolo Cerina - copyright protection in Italy, implementation of the EC directive, annex - recent bills
Luxemburg, Andre Prum and Francoise Gillen - copyright protection in Luxembourg, implementation of the EC directive
The Netherlands, Herald D.J. Jongen - copyright protection in the Netherlands, implementation of the EC directive, annex - amendments to the Dutch copyright act
Portugal, Jose Antonio Veloso - copyright protection in Portugal, implementation of the EC directive
Spain, Fernando Bondia Roman - copyright protection in Spain, implementation of the EC directive, annex - law on intellectual property
United Kingdom, Christopher J. Millard - copyright protection in the United Kingdom, implementation of the EC directive
council directive of 14 May 1991 on the legal protection of computer programs.