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Originality in photography

Overview

Taskforce reviewers

Ariadna Matas, email address

‘Other photographs’ related rights

Yes

Overview

The transposition text for Article 14 is legislated for in a separate law, not in the copyright code, without clarification on how it relates to the articles in the cultural heritage code. Because of the bad legislative practice in transposing the CDSM and other Directives, this will be reviewed in Parliament again, but the date is yet to be defined.

Scope

Retroactivity

None

Statutory Law

Source language

English

Provision on copyright 

Real Decreto Legislativo 1/1996

Artículo 1. Hecho generador.

La propiedad intelectual de una obra literaria, artística o científica corresponde al autor por el solo hecho de su creación.

Artículo 2. Contenido.

La propiedad intelectual está integrada por derechos de carácter personal y patrimonial, que atribuyen al autor la plena disposición y el derecho exclusivo a la explotación de la obra, sin más limitaciones que las establecidas en la Ley.

Artículo 10. Obras y títulos originales.

  1. Son objeto de propiedad intelectual todas las creaciones originales literarias, artísticas o científicas expresadas por cualquier medio o soporte, tangible o intangible, actualmente conocido o que se invente en el futuro, comprendiéndose entre ellas: [...] h) Las obras fotográficas y las expresadas por procedimiento análogo a la fotografía [...]

Spanish Copyright Code 1/1996

Article 1. Generating event.

The intellectual property of a literary, artistic or scientific work belongs to the author by the sole fact of its creation.

Article 2. Content.

Intellectual property is made up of rights of a personal and patrimonial nature, which attribute to the author the full disposition and exclusive right to exploit the work, with no limitations other than those established in the Law.

Article 10. Original works and titles.

  1. All original literary, artistic or scientific creations expressed by any means or support, tangible or intangible, currently known or invented in the future, are the subject of intellectual property, including: [...] h) Photographic works and those expressed by a procedure analogous to photography [...]

Revised provision on copyright 

Comments / analysis

Provision on related rights for “other photographs”

Real Decreto Legislativo 1/1996

La protección de las meras fotografías

Artículo 128. De las meras fotografías.

Quien realice una fotografía u otra reproducción obtenida por procedimiento análogo a aquélla, cuando ni una ni otra tengan el carácter de obras protegidas en el Libro I, goza del derecho exclusivo de autorizar su reproducción, distribución y comunicación pública, en los mismos términos reconocidos en la presente Ley a los autores de obras fotográficas.

Este derecho tendrá una duración de veinticinco años computados desde el día 1 de enero del año siguiente a la fecha de realización de la fotografía o reproducción.

Real Decreto Legislativo 1/1996

The protection of mere photographs

Article 128. Of the mere photographs.

Whoever takes a photograph or other reproduction obtained by a procedure similar to that, when neither one nor the other have the nature of protected works in Book I, enjoys the exclusive right to authorize its reproduction, distribution and public communication, in the same terms recognized in this Law to the authors of photographic works.

This right will have a duration of twenty-five years computed from January 1 of the year following the date of taking the photograph or reproduction.

Revised provision on related rights for “other photographs” 

[not revised, but additional article]

Real Decreto-Ley 24/2021

Artículo 72. Obras de arte visual de dominio público.

Cuando hayan expirado los derechos de explotación de una obra de arte visual, cualquier material resultante de un acto de reproducción de dicha obra no estará sujeto a derechos de propiedad intelectual, a menos que el material resultante de dicho acto de reproducción sea original en la medida en que sea una creación intelectual de su autor.

[not revised, but additional article]

Real Decreto-Ley 24/2021

Article 72. Works of visual art in the public domain.

When the exploitation rights of a work of visual art have expired, any material resulting from an act of reproduction of said work shall not be subject to intellectual property rights, unless the material resulting from said act of reproduction is original to the extent that it is an intellectual creation of its author.

Comments / analysis

  • Object of protection: What is not protected by Article 10 Copyright Act (photographic works). Courts have defined this as photographs “lacking creative input”.

  • Type of protection: Reproduction, distribution, communication to the public; No adaptation. No moral rights. 

  • Duration: 25 years from production.

Case Law

Source language

English

Takeaways

Limitations for CHIs

Copied for the Directive’s wording so:

  • It focuses on works of visual arts that have entered the public domain. It does not go beyond these types nor include materials that were always in the public domain at least explicitly.

  • It does not specify which related rights this relates to, though the assumption is that it can only be applicable in practice to RR for non-original photography.

  • The transposition text for art. 14 CDSM Directive is legislated for in a separate law, not in the copyright code, without clarification on how it relates to the articles in the cultural heritage code.

Reflections

Sources

Open GLAM Examples