List of countries' copyright length

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This is an alphabetic list of different countries and the length of their standard copyright in years. Most countries now have copyright terms that are based on the death dates of the authors. Laws regarding anonymous works, corporate-authored works, or non-literary works vary per country. It is not intended to be used as a legal guideline since it cannot reflect the complexity of the copyright laws in effect at any one time and since copyright laws are changing continuously. It is intended only as an overview of the portions of the world which are under any particular style of copyright. See the external links at the end of this article for more details.

Although they are not countries, the list also includes entries for the European Union and the Berne Convention.

Country Usual term of copyright protection Reference
Afghanistan unknown
Akrotiri unknown
Albania pma means "from the death of the author (post mortem auctoris) 70 pma Art. 17, Law no. 7564 of 19 April 1992, as modified by Law no. 7923 of 19 May 1995
Algeria 50 pma;
photographs 50 pr		 Arts. 54 & 59, Ordonnance n° 03-05 du 19 Joumada El Oula 1424 correspondant au 19 juillet 2003 relative aux droits d’auteur et aux droits voisins
American Samoa unknown
Andorra 70 pma Art. 18, Law on Copyright and Related Rights of 1999
Angola 50 pma
Anguilla unknown
Antigua and Barbuda 50 pma;
computer 50 pr		 s. 10, Copyright Act, 2002
Argentina 70 pma Art. 5, Ley 11.723 del 28 de septiembre de 1933, as modified by Ley 24.870 del 11 de septiembre de 1997
Armenia 50 pma Art. 26, Law on Copyright and Neighbouring Rights of 12 January 2000
Aruba unknown
Australia 70 pma;
50 pma (death before 1955)
photographs 50 pd		 s. 33, Copyright Act 1968
Austria 70 pma § 60, Urheberrechtsgesetz;
§ 1(2), Urheberrechtsgesetznovelle 1972 (Nr. 492, 1972-12-16)
Azerbaijan 50 pma Art. 25, Law on Copyright and Related Rights of 5 June 1996
Bahamas Berne
Bahrain 50 pma Art. 31, Legislative Decree no. 10 of 1993
Baker Island unknown
Bangladesh 50 pma
Barbados 50 pma s. 17, http://www.wipo.int/clea/docs_new/en/bb/bb009en.html Copyright Act 1998
Bassas da India unknown
Belarus 50 pma Art. 22, Law 194-3 of 11 August 1998
Belgium 70 pma Art. 2, Loi relative au droit d’auteur et aux droits voisins du 30 juin 1994
Belize 50 pma s. 10, Copyright Act Ch. 252
Benin 50 pma
Bermuda unknown
Signatories of the Berne Convention photographic work minimum 25 years after creation; cinematographic work minimum 50 years after first showing or creation if not shown for 50 years after creation; all other works life plus a minimum of 50 years
Bhutan 50 pma s. 18, Copyright Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan, 2001
Bolivia 50 pma Art. 18, Ley No 1322 de 13 de abril de 1992
Bosnia and Herzegovina 70 pma Art. 84, Law on Copyright and Related Rights (7/02)
Botswana Berne, TRIPS, WCT Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act, Act No. 8 of 2000
Bouvet Island unknown
Brazil 70 pma Art. 41, Law no 9610 of 19 February 1998
British Indian Ocean Territory unknown
British Virgin Islands unknown
Brunei 50 pma s. 14, Emergency (Copyright) Order 1999
Bulgaria 50 pma (EU) Art. 27, Law on Copyright and Neighbouring Rights of 16 June 1993
Burkina Faso 70 pma Art. 34, Loi N°032-99AN portant protection de la propriété littéraire et artistique
Burundi 50 pma
Cambodia 50 pma Art. 30, Law on Copyright and Related Rights of 2003
Cameroon 50 pma Art. 37, Loi no 2000/011 du 19 décembre 2000
Canada 50 pma s. 6, Copyright Act, R.S., c. C-30;
s. 7, S.C. 1997, c. 24
Cape Verde 50 pma Art. 19, Lei no. 101/III/90 de 29 de dezembro de 1990
Cayman Islands unknown
Central African Republic Berne, TRIPS
Chad Berne, TRIPS
Chile 50 pma Art. 10, Ley No 17336 de propriedad intelectual
China (People's Republic) 50 pma Art. 21, Copyright Law of the People's Republic of China
Colombia 80 pma Art. 21, Ley 23 de 1982
Comoros Berne
Congo (Democratic Republic) Berne, TRIPS
Congo (Republic) Berne, TRIPS
Costa Rica 70 pma Art. 58, Ley de Derechos de Autor y Derechos Conexos modified by the Ley 7979 del 6 del enero del 2000
Cote d'Ivoire 99 pma Art. 45, Loi no. 96-564 du 25 juillet 1996
Croatia 70 pma Art. 99, Copyright and Related Rights Act 197/2003
Cuba 50 pma
Cyprus 50 pma
(EU, WCT)		 s. 4, Copyright Law 1976
Czech Republic 70 pma Art. 27, Law No. 121/2000 Coll.
Denmark 70 pma s. 63, Act on Copyright 1995
Djibouti 25 pma
(Berne, TRIPS)		 Art. 59, Loi n°114/AN/96/3e L relatif à la protection du droit d'auteur
Dominica 70 pma s. 11, Copyright Act 2003
Dominican Republic 50 pma Art. 21, Ley sobre Derecho de Autor del 24 de julio de 2000
Ecuador 70 pma Art. 80, Ley No 83 de Propiedad Intelectual (1998)
Egypt 50 pma Art. 160, Law on the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights
El Salvador 50 pma Art. 86, Decreto Legislativo No. 604 del 15 de julio de 1993
Equatorial Guinea Berne
Eritrea unknown
Estonia 50 pma (EU) Art. 38, Copyright Act of 11 November 1992
Ethiopia unknown
Members of the European Union 70 pma
Fiji 50 pma Copyright Act 1999
Finland 70 pma Art. 43, Law No. 404/1961, as amended by Law No. 1654/1995
France 70 pma Art. L123-1, Code de la propriété intellectuelle
Gabon Berne, TRIPS, WCT
Gambia 50 pma Copyright Act 1956 (p)
Georgia 70 pma Art. 31, Law on Copyright and Neighbouring Rights of 22 June 1999
Germany(a) 70 pma § 64, Urheberrechtsgesetz, as amended by the Law of 23 June 1995
Ghana 70 pma Art. 12, Copyright Act, 2005
Greece 70 pma Art. 29, Law 2121/1993
Grenada Berne, TRIPS Copyright Act, dated 3 February 1989
Guatemala 75 pma Art. 43, Decreto No. 33-98, as modified by Art. 13, Decreto No. 56-2000
Guinea TRIPS, WCT
Guinea-Bissau Berne, TRIPS
Guyana 50 pma Copyright Act 1956
Haiti Berne, TRIPS Decree of January 9, 1968, relating to Copyright in Literary, Scientific and Artistic Works
Honduras 75 pma
Hong Kong(b) 50 pma s. 17, Copyright Ordinance (Cap. 528)
Hungary 70 pma Art. 31, Act No. LXXVI of 1999
Iceland 70 pma Art. 43, Act No. 73/1972, as amended by Art. 4, Act No. 145/1996
India 60 pma (literary or musical works or artistic works)
photographs 60 pd [1][2]		 s. 22, Copyright Act, 1957
s. 25, Copyright Act, 1957
Indonesia 50 pma Art. 29, Law No. 19 of 2002
Iran 30 pma;
photographs 30 pd		 Arts. 12 & 16, Copyright Law of 12 January 1970
Iraq 50 pma s. 2(11), Coalition Provisional Authority Order No. 2004/83
Ireland 70 pma s. 24, Copyright and Related Rights Act, 2000
Israel 70 pma Art. 5(4), Copyright Ordinance 1924
Italy 70 pma
[50 pma]		 Art. 25, Law No. 633 of 22 April 1941, as amended by Art. 17, Law No. 52 of 6 February 1996
Jamaica 50 pma s. 10, Copyright Act 1993
Japan 50 pma (Only the Motion pictures is 70 years) Art. 51, Law No. 48 of 6 May 1970
Jordan 50 pma Art. 30, Law No. 22 of 1992, as amended
Kazakhstan 50 pma Art. 28, Law on Copyright and Neighbouring Rights of 1996
Kenya 50 pma;
photographs 50 pd		 s. 23(2), Copyright Act, 2001
Kiribati 50 pma Copyright Act 1956 (p)
Korea, North Berne
Korea, South 50 pma Art. 36, Copyright Act of 30 December 1989
Kuwait TRIPS Decree Law No. 64 of 1999 concerning Intellectual Property Rights
Kyrgyzstan 50 pma Art. 27, Law on Copyright and Related Rights of 16 December 1997
Laos unknown
Latvia 70 pma
[50 pma]		 Art. 36, Copyright Law of 6 April 2000
Art. 28, Law on Copyright and Neighbouring Rights of 11 May 1993
Lebanon 50 pma Art. 49, Loi sur la protection de la propriété littéraire et artistique (no. 75 du 3 avril 1999)
Lesotho 50 pma Copyright Act 1956 (p)
Libya 25 pma with 50-year minimum (as of 1968; may have changed since)
Liechtenstein 70 pma
[50 pma]		 Art. 32, Law of 19 May 1999
[Art. 36, Law of 26 October 1928]
Lithuania 70 pma
[50 pma]		 Art. 34, Law No. IX-1355 (2003)
[Art. 536, Civil Code as modified by Law No. I-459 (1994)]
Luxembourg 70 pma
[50 pma]		 Art. 9, Law of 18 April 2001
[Art. 2, Law of 29 March 1972]
Macau(b) 50 pma Art. 21, Decree-Law 43/99/M of August 16, 1999
Macedonia 70 pma Art. 44, Law on Copyright and Related Rights No. 47/96 as amended
Madagascar 70 pma Art. 52, Loi no. 94-036 portant sur la propriété littéraire et artistique
Malawi 50 pma s. 13, Copyright Act, 1989
Malaysia 50 pma s. 17, Copyright Act 1987
Maldives TRIPS
Mali 50 pma Art. 90, Loi No. 8426/AN-RM
Malta 70 pma s. 4(2), Copyright Act, 2000
Marshal Islands none
Mauritania Berne, TRIPS
Mauritius 50 pma s. 12, Copyright Act 1997
Mexico 75 pma (100 pma since July 2003) Art. 29, Ley Federal del Derecho de Autor (1996)
Micronesia 50 pma § 113, Federated States of Micronesia Code, Title 35
Moldova 50 pma Art. 17, Law No. 293-XIII of 23 November 1994
Monaco WCT
Mongolia 50 pma Art. 17, Law on Copyright of 1993
Montenegro(c) 70 pma Art. 100, Law on Copyright and Related Rights
Morocco 50 pma Art. 25, Loi no. 2-00 relative aux droits d’auteur et droits voisins
Mozambique 70 pma Art. 22, Law No. 4/2001
Myanmar TRIPS
Namibia 50 pma;
photographs 50 pd		 s. 3, Copyright Act 98 of 1978, as amended by s. 3, Act 52 of 1984, s. 3, Act 125 of 1992 and by s. 52, Act 38 of 1997
Nauru unknown
Nepal 50 pma Pustun Pradhan (2004). "Nepal's New Law on Copyright: Some Reflections", UNESCO e-Copyright Bulletin, January–March 2004.
Netherlands(d) 70 pma Art. 37, Copyright Act, 1912, as amended by the Acts of 21 December 1995
New Zealand 50 pma;
computer 50 pr		 s. 22, Copyright Act 1994
Nicaragua 70 pma Art. 27, Ley de Derecho de Autor y Derechos Conexos (No. 312)
Niger 50 pma Art. 22, Ordonnance no. 93-027 du 30 mars 1993
Nigeria 70 pma
photographs 50 pd		 Schedule I, Copyright Act (Cap. 68) 1990
Norway 70 pma s. 40, Act No. 2 of 12 May 1961
Oman 50 pma Art. 7, Royal Decree 37-2000
Pakistan 50 pma s. 18, Copyright Ordinance, 1962
Palau 50 pma s. 16, Republic of Palau Copyright Act of 2003
Panama 50 pma Art. 42, Ley No. 15 de 8 de agosto de 1994
Papua New Guinea 50 pma s. 17, Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act 2000
Paraguay 70 pma Art. 47, Ley No. 1328/98 de Derecho de Autor y Derechos Conexos
Peru 70 pma Art. 52, Decreto legislativo 822 del 23 de abril de 1996
Philippines 50 pma;
photographs 50 pd		 s. 213, Intellectual Property Code
Poland 50 pma (EU) Art. 36, Law of February 4, 1994, on Copyright and Neighbouring Rights
Portugal 70 pma
[50 pma]		 Art. 31, Code of Copyright and Related Rights, as amended by Decree Law No. 334/97 of 27 November 1997
Qatar 50 pma s. 15, Law No. 7 of 2002
Romania 70 pma Art. 27, Law No. 8 of March 14, 1996
Russia 50 pma (death before 1953); 70 pma starting July 28, 2004 (Source) Art. 2, Law 72-FZ, 2004
Rwanda Berne, TRIPS
St. Kitts and Nevis 50 pma Copyright Act 1956 (p)
St. Lucia 50 pma s. 10, Copyright Act, 1995
St. Vincent and the Grenadines 75 pma s. 8, Copyright Act, 2003
Samoa Berne
San Marino unknown
Sao Tome and Principe unknown
Saudi Arabia 50 pma [www.sagia.gov.sa/Downloads/Copyright%20Law.pdf Royal Decree No: M/41 2nd Rajab 1424 H August 30, 2003]
Senegal Berne, TRIPS
Serbia(e) 70 pma Art. 100, Law on Copyright and Related Rights
Seychelles 25 pma;
photographs 25 pd		 s. 9, Copyright Act, revised edition 1991
Singapore 70 pma Intellectual Property Office of Singapore
Slovakia 70 pma § 18, Act No. 383/1997
Slovenia 70 pma Art. 59, Copyright and Related Rights Act of 30 March 1995
Solomon Islands 50 pma s. 3, Copyright Act (Ch. 138)
Somalia unknown
South Africa 50 pma s. 3(2), Copyright Act, 1978
Spain 70 pma
[80 pma(1879 - 1987), 60 pma(1987 - 1994)]		 Art. 23, Real Decreto 1/1996
Sri Lanka 50 pma s. 19, Code of Intellectual Property Act No. 52 of 1979
Sudan 50 pma
photographs 25 pd		 s. 13, Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Protection Act 1996
Suriname Berne, TRIPS
Swaziland 50 pma Copyright Act No. 36 of 1912
Sweden 70 pma Art. 43, Act 1960:729, as modified by Act 1995:1273
Switzerland 70 pma Urheberrechtgesetz
Syria 50 pma Arts. 22 & 23, Law No. 12/2001
Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) TRIPS
Tajikistan Berne
Tanzania 50 pma s. 14, Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act, 1999
Thailand 50 pma s. 19, Copyright Act, B.E. 2537 (1994)
Timor Leste 50 pma Art. 29, Law No. 19 of 2002
Togo 50 pma Art. 36, Loi no. 91-12 portant protection du droit d'auteur, du folklore et des droits voisins
Tonga 50 pma s. 13, Copyright Act (Cap. 121)
Trinidad and Tobago 50 pma s. 19, Copyright Act, 1997
Tunisia 50 pma Art. 18, Loi no. 94-36
Turkey 70 pma Art. 27, Law No. 5846 of 5 December 1951
Turkmenistan unknown
Tuvalu 50 pma Copyright Act 1956 (p)
Uganda TRIPS
Ukraine 70 pma
[50 pma]		 Art. 28, Law on Copyright and Related Rights of 2001
 
United Arab Emirates 50 pma s. 20, Federal Law No. 7 of 2002
United Kingdom 70 pma s. 12, Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended by the Duration of Copyright and Rights in Performances Regulations 1995
United States of America 28 (if copyright not renewed) or 95 years for works copyrighted 1923-1963; 95 years for works copyrighted 1964-1977; thereafter life plus 70 years. (Copyrights prior to 1923 have expired.)
Uruguay 50 pma Art. 14, Law on Copyright No. 9.739 of 17 December 1937
Uzbekistan 50 pma Art. 38, Law No. 272-I of 30 August 1996
Vanuatu unknown
Vatican City 70 pma N. XII. Legge sil diritto di autore
Venezuela 60 pma Art. 25,Ley sobre el Dercho de Autor as modified by the Decreto del 14 de agosto de 1993
Vietnam Berne
Yemen 30 pma
Zambia 50 pma s. 12, Copyright and Performance Rights Act, 1994
Zimbabwe 50 pma s. 5, Copyright Act (Chapter 26:1)

[edit] Table notes and references

Terms of protection were taken from a variety of sources, including WIPO, UNESCO and the University of Pennsylvania (see External links). Where no more specific information is available for a country, an indication of its probable minimum copyright term can be gained from its status as:

  • a signatory of the Berne Convention ("Berne"); minimum term of 50 pma, except for photographs.
  • a member of the WTO ("TRIPS"); minimum term of 50 pma.
  • a candidate for membership of the European Union ("EU"); term must be 70 pma before accession.

pma = post mortem auctoris, (years) after the death of the author pd = post divulgatio or after publication p.r. = post realisation or after creation

(a) The Federal Republic of Germany is the successor state to the German Democratic Republic and to the German Empire.
(b) The Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau have their own status, distinct from that of the rest of China, under international copyright and trade law.
(c) Montenegro is assumed to have succeeded to the copyright obligations of Serbia and Montenegro (see note (e)).
(d) Including the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba: although Dutch adhesion to the Berne convention only applies to the Kingdom in Europe, membership of the WTO includes the overseas territories.
(e) Serbia is deemed to be a successor state of Serbia and Montenegro, which itself was a successor state to Yugoslavia for international copyright treaties, notably the Berne Convention, effective June 17, 1930.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ http://copyright.gov.in/handbook.htm
  2. ^ http://ezinearticles.com/?Copyright-in-India:-Law-and-Procedure&id=73309

[edit] External links

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