Italy

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Last updated: Apr 30, 2024
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Overview

‘Other photographs’ related rights

Yes

Overview

Italy implemented Art. 14 introducing Art. 32-quater in the Italian Copyright Law n. 633/1941 (by the Legislative Decree no. 177 of November 8th, 2021).

Scope

No indication of the definition. In Italian Copyright Law, we have the reference to “works of art” (Art. 144); works of the fine arts (Artt. 1, 2, 87, 88, 130, 145, 182 bis); works of visual art (Art. 32 quarter). The legislator did not take the chance to coordinate the different definitions in one. It seems that there is not any expansion beyond the term of “works of visual art”. There is no indication of the scope of “related rights” affected by the implementation of Art. 14 CDSM directive.

Retroactivity

No indications about the application in time of Article 14.

Statutory Law

Source language

English

Provision on copyright 

Art. 1. (Legge n. 633/1941)

 

Sono protette ai sensi di questa legge le opere dell'ingegno di carattere creativo che appartengono alla letteratura, alla musica, alle arti figurative, all'architettura, al teatro ed alla cinematografia, qualunque ne sia il modo o la forma di espressione.

 

Sono altresì protetti i programmi per elaboratore come opere letterarie ai sensi della Convenzione di Berna sulla protezione delle opere letterarie ed artistiche ratificata e resa esecutiva con legge 20 giugno 1978, n. 399, nonché le banche di dati che per la scelta o la disposizione del materiale costituiscono una creazione intellettuale dell'autore.

 

Art. 2 (Legge n. 633/1941)

 

In particolare sono comprese nella protezione: 

(…….)

  1. le opere fotografiche e quelle espresse con procedimento analogo a quello della fotografia sempre che non si tratti di semplice fotografia protetta ai sensi delle norme del capo V del titolo II. 

Article 1. (Law No. 633/1941) 

 

Creative works belonging to literature, music, visual arts, architecture, theater, and cinematography, expressing creativity in any manner or form, are protected under this law.

 

Computer programs are also protected as literary works according to the Berne Convention on the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, ratified and enforced by Law No. 399 of June 20, 1978. Additionally, databases that, through the selection or arrangement of materials, represent an intellectual creation of the author, are also protected.

 

Article 2 (Law No. 633/1941)

 

In particular, the protection includes: 

(......)

  1. photographic works and those expressed by a process similar to that of photography, provided that they are not simple photographs protected under the provisions of Chapter V of Title II.

 

Revised provision on copyright 

Additional article

Art. 32-quater.

  1. Alla scadenza della durata di protezione di un'opera delle arti visive, anche come individuate all'articolo 2, il materiale derivante da un atto di riproduzione di tale opera non e' soggetto al diritto d'autore o a diritti connessi, salvo che costituisca un'opera originale. Restano ferme le disposizioni in materia di riproduzione dei beni culturali di cui al decreto legislativo 22 gennaio 2004, n. 42.

Additional article

Art. 32-quater.

  1. Upon expiry of the term of protection of the works of the visual arts, including those identified in Article 2, the material resulting from an act of reproduction of such work shall not be subject to copyright or related rights unless it constitutes an original work. The provisions on the reproduction of cultural heritage contained in Legislative Decree No. 42 of January 22nd, 2004 remain unaffected.

Comments / analysis

Besides the discipline of simple photographs reproducing works of figurative art protected by related rights (Articles 87 and followings of the Copyright Law), Articles 107 and 108 of the Italian Cultural Heritage Code (Legislative Decree no. 42 of 2004) regulate the reproduction of the cultural heritage whether they are protected by copyright or not, submitting them to a form of "dominical" property, with no time limit, related to the cultural heritage institute where the physical artwork is kept. A  "dominical property” right which is exercised as a pseudo-copyright by the public administration.

The Italian transposition of Article 14, explicitly citing the Cultural Heritage Code, limits the free re-use of digital images of the public cultural heritage in the public domain for commercial purposes, with the provision of the necessary authorization and the payment of a fee.

Recently the Ministry of Culture published the Decree No. 161 of April 11, 2023 (“Guidelines for the determination of the minimum amounts of fees and charges for the concession of use of cultural heritage kept by national institutes and places of culture”), which introduces minimum fees for the use of digital reproductions of the State’s cultural heritage, including works that are in the public domain, reducing cases of free uses and the discretion of institutions to decide whether to charge fees and the minimum amount of them. 

On June 14th, 2023, Senator Marcheschi (FdI) proposed to introduce a fine, from 20,000 to 60,000 euros, to punish the unlicensed use of cultural heritage in the public domain in violation of Articles 107(1) and 108(1)-(3) of the Cultural heritage Code, (as an amendment to the proposal of law on Article 518-duodecies of the Italian Criminal Code, on the destruction, dispersal, deterioration, defacement and illegal use of the physical cultural heritage and landscape). At the session of June 21st, 2023, the amendment was turned into an agenda having received a negative opinion because of the costs it would entail to activate the sanctions.

Provision on related rights for “other photographs”

Legge sul diritto d’autore (L. 22 aprile 1941, n. 633)

CAPO V - Diritti relativi alle fotografie

Art. 87.

Sono considerate fotografie ai fini dell'applicazione delle disposizioni di questo capo le immagini di persone o di aspetti,

elementi o fatti della vita naturale e sociale, ottenute col processo fotografico o con processo analogo, comprese le riproduzioni di opere dell'arte figurativa e i fotogrammi delle pellicole cinematografiche.

Non sono comprese le fotografie di scritti, documenti, carte di

affari, oggetti materiali, disegni tecnici e prodotti simili.

Art. 88.

Spetta al fotografo il diritto esclusivo di riproduzione, diffusione e spaccio della fotografia, salve le disposizioni stabilite dalla sezione seconda del capo sesto di questo titolo, per cio' che riguarda il ritratto e senza pregiudizio, riguardo alle fotografie riproducenti opere dell'arte figurativa, dei diritti di autore sull'opera riprodotta.

Tuttavia se l'opera e' stata ottenuta nel corso e nell'adempimento di un contratto di impiego o di lavoro, entro i limiti dell'oggetto e delle finalita' del contratto, il diritto esclusivo compete al datore di lavoro.

La stessa norma si applica, salvo patto contrario, a favore del committente quando si tratti di fotografia di cose in possesso del committente medesimo e salvo pagamento a favore del fotografo, da parte di chi utilizza commercialmente la riproduzione, di un equo corrispettivo.

Il Ministro per la cultura popolare, con le norme stabilite dal regolamento, puo' fissare apposite tariffe per determinare il compenso dovuto da chi utilizza la fotografia.

Art. 89.

La cessione del negativo o di analogo mezzo di riproduzione della fotografia comprende, salvo patto contrario, la cessione dei diritti previsti all'articolo precedente, sempreche' tali diritti spettino al cedente.

Art. 90.

Gli esemplari della fotografia devono portare le seguenti indicazioni:

  1. il nome del fotografo, o, nel caso previsto nel primo capoverso dell'art. 88, della ditta da cui il fotografo dipende o del committente;

  1. la data dell'anno di produzione della fotografia;

  1. il nome dell'autore dell'opera d'arte fotografata.

Qualora gli esemplari non portino le suddette indicazioni, la loro riproduzione non e' considerata abusiva e non sono dovuti i compensi indicati agli articoli 91 e 98, a meno che il fotografo non provi la malafede del riproduttore.

Art. 91.

La riproduzione di fotografie nelle antologie ad uso scolastico ed in generale nelle opere scientifiche o didattiche e' lecita, contro pagamento di un equo compenso che e' determinato nelle forme previste dal regolamento.

Nella riproduzione deve indicarsi il nome del fotografo e la data dell'anno della fabbricazione, se risultano dalla fotografia riprodotta.

La riproduzione di fotografie pubblicate su giornali od altri periodici, concernenti persone o fatti di attualita' od aventi comunque pubblico interesse, e' lecita contro pagamento di un equo compenso.

Sono applicabili le disposizioni dell'ultimo comma dell'articolo 88.

Art. 92.

Il diritto esclusivo sulle fotografie dura vent'anni dalla

produzione della fotografia.

Copyright Act (Law April 22nd, 1941, n. 633)

CHAPTER V - Related Rights to photographs.

Article 87.

For the purposes of the application of the provisions of this chapter, photographs shall be considered to be images of persons, aspects, elements or facts of natural and social life, obtained by the photographic or similar process, including reproductions of works of figurative art and frames of motion picture films.

Photographs of writings, documents, business papers, material objects, technical drawings and similar products are not included.

Article 88.

The photographer shall have the exclusive right to reproduce, disseminate and distribute the photograph, subject to the provisions set forth in Section Two of Chapter Six of this title, as regards portraits and without prejudice, with respect to photographs reproducing works of figurative art, to copyright in the work reproduced.

However, if the work has been obtained in the course and performance of a contract of employment or occupation, within the limits of the object and purpose of the contract, the employer has the exclusive right.

The same rule shall apply, unless otherwise agreed, in favor of the commisioner when it involves photography of things in the commisioner's possession and subject to payment of fair remuneration to the photographer by the person who commercially uses the reproduction.

The Minister of Popular Culture, with the rules established by regulation, may set appropriate rates to determine the remuneration due from the person who uses the photograph.

Article 89.

The transfer of the negative or similar means of reproduction of the photograph shall include, unless otherwise agreed, the transfer of the rights provided for in the preceding article, provided that such rights belong to the transferor.

Art. 90.

The copies of the photograph shall bear the following indications:

  1. the name of the photographer or, in the case provided for in the first paragraph of Article 88, the firm on which the photographer is employed or the principal;

  1. the date of the year of production of the photograph;

  1. the name of the author of the work of art photographed.

If the specimens do not bear the above indications, their reproduction shall not be considered abusive and the fees specified in Articles 91 and 98 shall not be due, unless the photographer proves the bad faith of the reproducer.

Article 91.

Reproduction of photographs in anthologies for scholastic use and in scientific or educational works in general is lawful, with payment of fair remuneration which shall be determined in the forms prescribed by the regulations.

The reproduction must indicate the name of the photographer and the date of the year of manufacture, if they result from the photograph reproduced.

The reproduction of photographs published in newspapers or other periodicals, concerning persons or facts of current events or otherwise of public interest, is lawful upon payment of fair remuneration.

The provisions of the last paragraph of Article 88 shall apply.

Article 92.

The exclusive right to photographs shall last twenty years from the production of the photograph.

Revised provision on related rights for “other photographs” 

 

 

Comments / analysis

  • Object of protection: Technical and professional skills, “images of persons or of aspects, elements or events of natural or social life; excluded: writings, documents, business papers, material objects, technical designs and similar products”.

  • Type of protection: Reproduction, communication, distribution, and most likely adaptation. No moral rights, but credit if name is indicated. Some formal requirements to make remedy effective. 

  • Duration: 20 years after making.

Takeaways

Limitations for CHIs

See also Italy’s cultural heritage code. See this recent case Museum Wins Lawsuit Over Photo of Michelangelo's David   (added by Jani McCutcheon)

The Ministerial Decree 161/2023 is addressed to the public state-owned cultural institutions. The Decree does not apply to private foundations (e.g., Egyptian Museum of Turin) or private CHIs neither  local public governments Chis. The director or responsible for the  public state’s CHIswho has to apply  the minimum tariffs is employed by the Ministry of Culture (who in general is on a 3-year contract that is subject to renewal. Eliminating the system poses risk to the person’s employment status in any case since they are employees  by the state. 

Reflections

For reference on recent cases law, see Deborah De Angelis and Giuditta Giardini’s post on Communia: https://communia-association.org/2023/07/10/tales-of-public-domain-protection-in-italy/

Sources

Open GLAM Examples