1 Prof. Marie-Christine Janssens Centre for Intellectual Property Rights Catholic University Leuven - Belgium WIPO-UNIDO National Seminar on Managing Intellectual Property of SMEs Minsk, January 2007 Prof. Marie-Christine Janssens Centre for Intellectual Property Rights Catholic University Leuven - Belgium WIPO-UNIDO National Seminar on Managing Intellectual Property of SMEs Minsk, January 2007 Protection for databases

2 International context Berne ( ) : article 2(5)

3 Copyright works in database Copyright database (collection)

4 International context TRIPS (1994) : art. 10.2

5 Cf. Copyright Act Belarus 1998/2003 Закон Республики Беларусь об авторском праве и смежных правах.

6 Статья 7. Произведения, являющиеся объектами авторского права 1. Объектами авторского права являются: литературные произведения (включая компьютерные программы и базы данных) 3. (…) Базы данных или компиляции иных материалов в любой форме, представляющие собой по подбору и расположению материалов результат интеллектуального творчества, охраняются как таковые. Такая охрана не распространяется непосредственно на сами данные или материалы и действует без ущерба какому-либо авторскому праву, к сфере распространения которого относятся такие данные или материалы. Статья 7. Произведения, являющиеся объектами авторского права 1. Объектами авторского права являются: литературные произведения (включая компьютерные программы и базы данных) 3. (…) Базы данных или компиляции иных материалов в любой форме, представляющие собой по подбору и расположению материалов результат интеллектуального творчества, охраняются как таковые. Такая охрана не распространяется непосредственно на сами данные или материалы и действует без ущерба какому-либо авторскому праву, к сфере распространения которого относятся такие данные или материалы.

7 Situation in EU (prior to 1996) I. Berne Convention ( ) Protection for collections of literary or artistic works (art. 2.5) II. Protection for databases containing non- protected materials (TRIPS & WCT) differences between member states (sweat of the brow v. originality) III. Protection for non-original databases Unfair competition law Legislation (Scandinavian countries, Netherlands) I. Berne Convention ( ) Protection for collections of literary or artistic works (art. 2.5) II. Protection for databases containing non- protected materials (TRIPS & WCT) differences between member states (sweat of the brow v. originality) III. Protection for non-original databases Unfair competition law Legislation (Scandinavian countries, Netherlands) Original

8 Call for stronger protection advent of the information society importance : analogue v. digital environment have become motor of E-commerce software-technology necessary tools necessary tools to manage information storage, processing, providing access information = value advent of the information society importance : analogue v. digital environment have become motor of E-commerce software-technology necessary tools necessary tools to manage information storage, processing, providing access information = value

9 LES Scandinavia Conference 98 Trend in common Increased IP awareness Knowledge and Intellectual Property are replacing Capital, Buildings and Machinery as the Most Important Company Assets Knowledge and Intellectual Property are replacing Capital, Buildings and Machinery as the Most Important Company Assets

10 Call for stronger protection advent of the information society importance : analogue v. digital environment have become motor of E-commerce software-technology necessary tools necessary tools to manage information storage, processing, providing access information = value advent of the information society importance : analogue v. digital environment have become motor of E-commerce software-technology necessary tools necessary tools to manage information storage, processing, providing access information = value protect investment (v. originality) protect investment (v. originality)

11 Harmonisation copyright protection New exclusive right

12 Copyright 1 Jan two-tier protection scheme 1 Jan two-tier protection scheme Sui generis right Databasecontent (le contenu) Databasestructure (le contenant)

13 Scope of application Definition article 1 D.

Databases A collection of works, data or other materials Protected Non- protected Bare facts raw information

A collection of works, data or other materials texts, sounds, images, numbers, facts texts, sounds, images, numbers, facts meteorological data, bibliographic data, photographs, DNA seq., photo's of houses meteorological data, bibliographic data, photographs, DNA seq., photo's of houses Scope of application That are independent

A collection of works, data or other materials which are independent A collection of works, data or other materials which are independent Telephone directory, business directory, URL listings, newspaper clippings, records of births, stock market quotations, trademark registers, tissue banks Telephone directory, business directory, URL listings, newspaper clippings, records of births, stock market quotations, trademark registers, tissue banks Scope of application

17 Databases A collection of works, data or other materials which are independent arranged in a systematic OR methodical way individually accessible (in whatever way) A collection of works, data or other materials which are independent arranged in a systematic OR methodical way individually accessible (in whatever way)

18 What is a Database? ( Examples) Telephone directory Real estate database TV program listings Bibliographic database Medical lexicon Ticketing information Online job ads Exhibition catalogues Telephone directory Real estate database TV program listings Bibliographic database Medical lexicon Ticketing information Online job ads Exhibition catalogues

19 Exclusion clauses (as a rule) Computer programmes Musical compilations no substantial investment Recording of audiovisual … works as such Not independent Computer programmes Musical compilations no substantial investment Recording of audiovisual … works as such Not independent

20 Definition Database in Belarus Статья 4. Основные понятия база данных – компиляция материалов, данных, информации, по подбору и расположению материалов представляющая результат творческого труда; понятие базы данных не распространяется на компьютерную программу, с помощью которой может осуществляться электронный доступ к материалам базы данных

Object of protection Copyright Sui generis right Originality intellectual activity stamp of personality Selection or arrangement of contents (structure) Investment substantial obtaining, verifying, presenting nature : of any kind money, time, effort, energy

22 Substantial investment Quantitative Qualitatitive

23 Term of protection Copyright Sui generis right Death of author + 70 years Completion of database + 15 years

24 Beneficiary of protection Copyright Sui generis right

25 Beneficiary of protection Copyright Sui generis right Author natural person(s) employees ? national law Author natural person(s) employees ? national law Maker (producer) natural/legal person initiative & risk investment Maker (producer) natural/legal person initiative & risk investment

Restricted acts Restricted acts Copyright Sui generis right Economic rights (+) reproduction public communication distribution Economic rights (+) reproduction public communication distribution by any means and in any form Economic rights extraction re-utilisation Economic rights extraction re-utilisation whole or substantial part

27 Exceptions Copyright Sui generis right Acts by lawful user private purposes (but) teaching & research public/judicial/ administrative traditional exceptions Acts by lawful user Private purposes teaching & research public/judicial/ administrative

28 12 December 2005 First evaluation of Directive 96/9/EC

29 Vague terms to define sui generis rights have caused considerable legal uncertainty Scope of sui generis right was severely curtailed by ECJ ECJs concern (?) new right ( NOT : investment in creation of data (comes precariously close to protecting basic information) BUT only for obtaining, verification or presentation of content Economic impact = unproven Empirical evidence doubts on the usefulness of the right EU database production in 2004 fell to pre-Directive levels ! Vague terms to define sui generis rights have caused considerable legal uncertainty Scope of sui generis right was severely curtailed by ECJ ECJs concern (?) new right ( NOT : investment in creation of data (comes precariously close to protecting basic information) BUT only for obtaining, verification or presentation of content Economic impact = unproven Empirical evidence doubts on the usefulness of the right EU database production in 2004 fell to pre-Directive levels !

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31 Three policy options Repeal the sui generis right Amend the sui generis provisions Maintain the status quo Three policy options Repeal the sui generis right Amend the sui generis provisions Maintain the status quo

32 INFORMATIONINFORMATION Copyrighted subject matter

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