Database right

Database right

In European Union law, database rights are specifically coded (i.e. sui generis) laws on the copying and dissemination of information in computer databases. These rights were first introduced in 1996.

A database right is considered to be a property right, comparable to but distinct from copyright, that exists to recognise the investment that is made in compiling a database, even when this does not involve the 'creative' aspect that is reflected by copyright.[1]

On 11 March 1996 the Council of the European Union passed Directive No. 96/9/EC of 11 March 1996 on the legal protection of databases,[2] giving specific and separate legal rights (and limitations) to certain computer records. The law calls these database rights.

Rights afforded to manual records under EU database rights laws are similar in format, but not identical, to those afforded artistic works.

Database rights last for 15 years. Each time a database is substantially modified, however, a new set of rights are created for that database. An owner has the right to object to the copying of substantial parts of their database, even if data is extracted and reconstructed piecemeal. Database rights under the EU are created automatically, vested in the employers of creators (when the action of creation was part of employment), and do not have to be registered to have effect.

Database rights are independent of copyright: The arrangement, selection, and presentation of the data may be protected by copyright, while the database as a whole can be protected by database right.[3]

Contents

United Kingdom

On 1 January 1998, the United Kingdom's law "The Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations of 1997"[4] came into force.

United States

Uncreative collections of facts are outside of Congressional authority under the Copyright Clause (Article I, § 8, cl. 8) of the United States Constitution, therefore no database right exists in the United States. The sine qua non of copyright, in the United States, is originality. (see Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service). This has not stopped database owners lobbying for the introduction of such a right, but so far bills to introduce it in the U.S. have been prevented by the successful lobbying of research libraries, consumer groups and firms who benefit from the free use of factual information.[5]

Australia

No specific law exists in Australia protecting databases. Databases may only be protected if they fall under general copyright law. Australian copyright law regarding compilations is currently examined in case law, where an initial case, Telstra v Desktop Marketing Systems was successfully litigated by Telstra, establishing a database right; however this was overturned in a later ruling, IceTV v Nine Network, where sufficient creativity was established as the defining characteristic of copyright.

Russia

In article 1260 of the Civil Code of Russia, a database is a collection of independent materials presented in an objective form (articles, accounts, legal texts, judicial decisions, and other similar materials), which are systematically arranged in a way that these materials can be found and processed by a computer. A database need not be registered to enjoy legal protection, but the Civil Code of Russia provides for the registration of rights, which is useful if the claims are disputed in court.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "The Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997". UK Government. http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1997/19973032.htm. "A property right (“database right”) subsists, in accordance with this Part, in a database if there has been a substantial investment in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents of the database." : United Kingdom implementation of the EU directive
  2. ^ Official Journal of the European Communities No. L77, 27.3.96, page 20
  3. ^ Directive No. 96/9/EC, Article 7, paragraph 4
  4. ^ SI. 3032 of 1997
  5. ^ Merges, Robert P., (2000) One Hundred Years of Solicitude: Intellectual Property Law, 1900-2000. California Law Review, vol.88, no.6, pp.2187-2240, available at JSTOR
  6. ^ Protection of Databases in Russia

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Right At Your Door — Filmdaten Deutscher Titel Right At Your Door Produktionsland USA …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Database storage structures — Database tables/indexes are typically stored on hard disk in one of many forms, ordered/unordered Flat files, ISAM, Heaps, Hash buckets or B+ Trees. These have various advantages and disadvantages discussed in this topic. The most commonly used… …   Wikipedia

  • Database marketing — is a form of direct marketing using databases of customers or potential customers to generate personalized communications in order to promote a product or service for marketing purposes. The method of communication can be any addressable medium,… …   Wikipedia

  • Database Nation — is a novel written by Simson Garfinkel. Published in 2000, Database Nation provides the reader with a clear understanding of what privacy is today. Starting with a broad definition of privacy, he goes in depth on various new technologies and… …   Wikipedia

  • Database Deployment Manager — Developer(s) The Unauthorized Frog project Stable release 0.1e Operating system Windows 2000, XP and Vista, Linux License …   Wikipedia

  • Database Directive — European Union directive: Directive 96/9/EC Directive on the legal protection of databases Made by European Parliament Council Made under Ar …   Wikipedia

  • Right to Manage — The United Kingdom Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 [ [http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/legResults.aspx?LegType=All+Legislation title=commonhold+and+leasehold+reform+act Year=2002 searchEnacted=0 extentMatchOnly=0 confersPower=0… …   Wikipedia

  • Right of foreigners to vote — Suffrage, the right to vote in a particular country, generally derives from citizenship. In most countries, the right to vote is reserved to those who possess the citizenship of the country in question. Some countries, however, have extended… …   Wikipedia

  • Right to exist — The Right to exist is a bedrock principle of international law referring to the right of nations to exist. The classic phrasing is Every nation has the right to exist, and to protect and to conserve its existence. [The Declaration of the Rights… …   Wikipedia

  • Right to petition — The right to petition is the freedom of individuals (and sometimes groups and corporations) to petition their government for a correction or repair of some form of injustice without fear of punishment for the same. Although often overlooked in… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”