LibAnswers @ ADU Library: Intellectual Property

Copyright is a form of intellectual property.

According to Federal Law No. 7 of 2002 on Copyrights and related rights, an intellectual work is any original work in the areas of literature, arts or science, whatever its description, form of expression, significance or purpose. The following intellectual works are protected under copyrights law:

1. Books, booklets, articles and other literature

2. Computer software and applications, databases and similar works defined in a decision to be issued by the Minister of Economy

3. Lectures, speeches, sermons and other works of similar nature

4. Plays, musicals and pantomimes

5. Musicals accompanied by dialogues and musicals which are not accompanied by dialogue

6. Audio and video works or audio-visual works

7. Architectural work and architectural plans and drawings

8. Drawings, paintings, sculptures, etchings, lithography, screen printing, reliefs and intaglio prints and other similar works of fine art

9. Photographic work and the likes

10. Works of applied art and plastic art

11. Charts, maps, plans, 3-D modeling for geographical and topographical applications and architectural designs etc.

12. Derivative works, subject to the protection afforded to the work(s) upon which they are based. The protection shall extend to the title of the work, if created, as well as the creative concept devised for broadcast material.

In accordance with Article 3, the law does not protect the owner of:

1. ideas, procedures, working methods, mathematical concepts, abstract principles and facts, with the exception of the innovative expression of any of them
2. official documents, regardless of their native language or the language translated to; such text includes laws, regulations, international resolutions and conventions, judicial rulings, arbitrators' rulings and decisions of administrative committees with jurisdiction
3. news
4. works that have become common property.

Nevertheless, clauses 2, 3 and 4 of this Article are protected if their collection, arrangement or any effort is innovated.

Duration of protection

According to Article 20 of Federal Law No. 7 of 2002 on Copyrights and Related Rights, the economic rights of the author under this Law shall be protected for the duration of his life plus 50 years starting from the first day of the calendar year following his death. Economic rights of applied art works expires after 25 years, which start from the first day of the calendar year following their first publication.