Sweden

Owned by Ariadna
Last updated: Apr 30, 2024
4 min read

Overview

‘Other photographs’ related rights

Yes

Overview

Article 14 has been implemented as an exception to Article 49(a) of the Copyright Act.

Scope

Applies to a work of art, rather than only a work of visual art. 

Retroactivity

Unclear, but probably RR claims are invalid on photographic images taken also before 1/1 2023.

Statutory Law

Source language

English

Provision on copyright 

URL 1

Den som har skapat ett litterärt eller konstnärligt verk har upphovsrätt till verket oavsett om det är

  1. skönlitterär eller beskrivande framställning i skrift eller tal,

  2. datorprogram,

  3. musikaliskt eller sceniskt verk,

  4. filmverk,

  5. fotografiskt verk eller något annat alster av bildkonst,

  6. alster av byggnadskonst eller brukskonst, eller

  7. verk som har kommit till uttryck på något annat sätt.

URL 1

 

Whoever has created a literary or artistic work has he copyright to the work, regardless if it is

 

  1. A literary or descriptive production in writing or speech

  2. A computer program

  3. A musical or scenic work

  4. A work of film

  5. A photographic work or some other work of visual art

  6. Works of architecture or applied arts, or

  7. Works that are expressed in any other way.

Revised provision on copyright 

 

 

Comments / analysis

Changes were only made in the related right for photographic images (see below). The protection for the duration of the life of the author + 70 years remains if a reproduction of a work of art in the public domain reaches threshold of originality, which leads to unclarity since representatives of rightsholders claim that any professionally made faithful reproduction, such as by someone working for a museum or CHI, would typically satisfy the threshold of originality. CHIs have not interpreted it this way so far.

Provision on related rights for “other photographs”

URL 49 a

 

Den som har framställt en fotografisk bild har uteslutande rätt att framställa exemplar av bilden och göra den tillgänglig för allmänheten. Rätten gäller oavsett om bilden används i ursprungligt eller ändrat skick och oavsett vilken teknik som utnyttjas. 

Article 49 Copyright Act

 

Whoever has produced a photographic image has the exclusive right to produce copies of the image and make it available to the public. The right applies regardless of whether the image is used in its original or altered state and regardless of what technology is used

Revised provision on related rights for “other photographs” 

URL 49 a

 

Den som har framställt en fotografisk bild har uteslutande rätt att framställa exemplar av bilden och göra den tillgänglig för allmänheten. Rätten gäller oavsett om bilden används i ursprungligt eller ändrat skick och oavsett vilken teknik som utnyttjas. Rätten gäller dock inte om det huvudsakliga motivet för bilden utgörs av ett konstverk för vilket upphovsrätt inte längre gäller.

Article 49 Copyright Act

 

Whoever has produced a photographic image has the exclusive right to produce copies of the image and make it available to the public. The right applies regardless of whether the image is used in its original or altered state and regardless of what technology is used. However, the right does not apply if the main subject of the image is a work of art for which copyright no longer applies.

Comments / analysis

  • Object of protection: Photographs which are not a photographic work (lack of originality).

  • Type of protection: Reproduction and making available to the public in original or altered form. Attribution and integrity.

  • Duration: 50 years after production.

Takeaways

Limitations for CHIs

There are few limitations for CHIs. One example is the so called “classical work protection”, § 51 of URL, a protection that exist in most Nordic countries:

Om litterärt eller konstnärligt verk återgives offentligt på ett sätt som kränker den andliga odlingens intressen, äger domstol på talan av myndighet som regeringen bestämmer vid vite meddela förbud mot återgivandet. Vad nu är sagt skall ej gälla återgivande som sker under upphovsmannens livstid. 

If a literary or artistic work is reproduced publicly in a way that violates the interests of spiritual cultivation, the court has the right, at the request of an authority determined by the government, to issue a ban on the reproduction. What has now been said shall not apply to reproduction that takes place during the author's lifetime.

There is no court case where a court has applied the protection so as to prevent a reproduction, although it has been invoked at several occasions. The provision has however been used to deter or discourage controversial uses of classical works. 

Reflections

Wikimedia Sverige asked the government about digitising techniques that fall outside the scope of the related right for photographic images (such as 3D digitization). Their reply: The government also wants to emphasise that to the extent that a certain technology falls outside the category of photographic images, the Copyright Act does not offer any protection for the performance, if it does not constitute a copyright-protected work or is attributable to one of the other related rights harmonised within the EU. This applies regardless of what the motive for such reproduction is. In such cases, there are also no copyright obstacles to using the reproduction.

Sources

https://eurovision.communia-association.org/detail/sweden/

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