EU Copyright

European Union Copyright Information

EU Copyright header image 3

Copyright Durations Worldwide

Country  
Term of Copyright Protection 
Afghanistan 0, no copyright exists
Albania 70 years after death
Algeria 50 years after death;
photographs 50 years after creation
American Samoa unknown
Andorra 70 years after death
Angola 50 years after death
Anguilla unknown
Antigua and Barbuda 50 years after death;

computer 50 years after creation

Argentina 70 years after death

50 years after publication (anonymous intellectual works belonging to institutions, corporations or legal persons)
Armenia 50 years after death
Aruba unknown
Australia (including external territories) 70 years after death; for death before 1955, 50 years after death

70 years after publication (sound recordings, cinematograph films)

50 years after making (television broadcasts and sound broadcasts)

photographs 50 years after publication (no longer applicable since 1 January 2005)

Austria 70 years after death
Azerbaijan 50 years after death
Bahamas Berne
Bahrain 50 years after death
Bangladesh 50 years after death
Barbados 50 years after death
Belarus 50 years after death
Belgium 70 years after death
Belize 50 years after death
Benin 50 years after death
Bermuda unknown
Berne Convention signatories 50 years after death

50 years after publication or if not shown 50 years after creation (cinematographic works)
25 years after creation (photographic works)
Signatories may grant longer terms.

Bhutan 50 years after death
Bolivia 50 years after death
Bosnia and Herzegovina 70 years after death
Botswana Berne, TRIPS, WCT
Brazil 70 years after death
British Indian Ocean Territory unknown
British Virgin Islands unknown
Brunei 50 years after death
Bulgaria 70 years after death (EU)
Burkina Faso 70 years after death
Burundi 50 years after death
Cambodia 50 years after death
Cameroon 50 years after death
Canada 50 years after death
Cape Verde 50 years after death
Cayman Islands unknown
Central African Republic Berne, TRIPS
Chad Berne, TRIPS
Chile 50 years after death
China (People’s Republic, Mainland only) 50 years after death (citizens’ works)
50 years after publication or if not published 50 years after creation (works of legal entities, cinematographic works, films or photographic works)
Colombia 80 years after death

80 years after publication (cinematographic works)

Comoros Berne
Congo (Democratic Republic) Berne, TRIPS
Congo (Republic) Berne, TRIPS
Costa Rica 70 years after death
Cote d’Ivoire 99 years after death
99 years after publication (photographic or audiovisual works or works of applied art)
Croatia 70 years after death
Cuba 50 years after death
Cyprus 50 years after death

(EU, WCT)
Czech Republic 70 years after death (70 years after publication for anonymous works)
Denmark 70 years after death
Djibouti 25 years after death (Berne, TRIPS)

25 years after publication or if not published 25 years after completion (film)

25 years after completion (a photographic work or a work of applied art)

Dominica 70 years after death
Dominican Republic 50 years after death
Ecuador 70 years after death
Egypt 50 years after death
El Salvador 50 years after death
Equatorial Guinea Berne
Eritrea unknown
Estonia 50 years after death (EU)
Ethiopia life of creator, Title XI of the 1960 Civil Code
European Union members 70 years after death
Fiji 50 years after death
Finland 70 years after death
France 70 years after death + 14 years and 272 days for the two World Wars [+ 30 years if the author died on active service]
Gabon Berne, TRIPS, WCT
Gambia 50 years after death
Georgia 70 years after death
Germany 70 years after death
Ghana 70 years after death
Greece 70 years after death
Grenada Berne, TRIPS
Guatemala 75 years after death
Guinea TRIPS, WCT
Guinea-Bissau Berne, TRIPS
Guyana 50 years after death
Haiti Berne, TRIPS
Honduras 75 years after death


70 years after publication or if not published within 50 years 70 years after creation (works of applied art and photographs)

Hong Kong 50 years after death

50 years after publication or if not published 50 years after creation (sound recordings)

50 years after creation (broadcast); 50 years after programme included in a cable programme service

125 years after creation (Governmental work)

50 years after publication (Ordinance)

50 years after creation (Legislative Council work)

Hungary 70 years after death
Iceland 70 years after death
India 60 years after death (literary, dramatic, musical, and non-photograph artistic works)

60 years after publication (posthumous works, photographs, cinematograph films, sound recordings, Government works, works of public undertakings, and works of international organisations)

Indonesia 50 years after death
Iran 30 years after death

30 years after publication (photographic or cinematographic works)

Iraq 50 years after death
Ireland 70 years after death
Israel 70 years after death
Italy 70 years after death

[50 years after death]
Jamaica 50 years after death
Japan 50 years after death

50 years after publication or if not published 50 years after creation (works of a legal person or other corporate body)

70 years after publication or if not published 70 years after creation (cinematographic works)
Jordan 50 years after death
Kazakhstan 50 years after death
Kenya 50 years after death;

photographs 50 years after publication
Kiribati 50 years after death
Korea, North Berne
Korea, South 50 years after death

50 years after publication or if not published 50 years after creation (organizational works)

Kuwait TRIPS
Kyrgyzstan 50 years after death
Laos unknown
Latvia 70 years after death

[50 years after death]
Lebanon 50 years after death
Lesotho 50 years after death
Libya 25 years after death with 50-year minimum (as of 1968; may have changed since)
Liechtenstein 70 years after death


[50 years after death]

Lithuania 70 years after death

[50 years after death]
Luxembourg 70 years after death

[50 years after death]
Macau(b) 50 years after death

50 years after publication (audiovisual works)

25 after completion (works of applied art and photographic works)
Macedonia 70 years after death
Madagascar 70 years after death
Malawi 50 years after death
Malaysia 50 years after death
Maldives TRIPS
Mali 50 years after death
Malta 70 years after death
Marshal Islands none
Mauritania Berne, TRIPS
Mauritius 50 years after death
Mexico 100 years after death (effective 23 July 2003 non-retroactively)

75 years after death (before the law change on 23 July 2003, applicable for deaths before 23 July 1928)

Micronesia 50 years after death
Moldova 50 years after death
Monaco WCT
Mongolia 50 years after death
Montenegro 70 years after death
Morocco 50 years after death
Mozambique 70 years after death
Myanmar TRIPS
Namibia 50 years after death;

photographs 50 years after publication
Nauru unknown
Nepal 50 years after death
Netherlands 70 years after death
New Zealand 50 years after death;

computer 50 years after creation
Nicaragua 70 years after death
Niger 50 years after death
Nigeria 70 years after death (literary, musical or artistic works other than photographs)

70 years after publication (literary, musical or non-photograph artistic works in the case of government or a body corporate)

50 years after publication (cinematograph films and photographs)

50 years after creation (sound recordings)

50 years after publication (broadcasts)

Norway 70 years after death
Oman 50 years after death
Pakistan 50 years after death
Palau 50 years after death
Panama 50 years after death
Papua New Guinea 50 years after death
Paraguay 70 years after death
Peru 70 years after death
Philippines 50 years after death;

photographs 50 years after publication
Poland 50 years after death (EU)
Portugal 70 years after death

[50 years after death]
Qatar 50 years after death
Romania 70 years after death
Russia 70 years after death starting July 28, 2004 (Source); 50 years after death (death before 1953)
Rwanda Berne, TRIPS
St. Kitts and Nevis 50 years after death
St. Lucia 50 years after death
St. Vincent and the Grenadines 75 years after death (literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work)

50 years after creation (computer-generated work)

75 years after publication or if not published 50 years after creation (sound recording or film)

50 years after creation (broadcast); 50 after programme included in a cable programme service

Samoa Berne
San Marino unknown
São Tomé and Príncipe unknown
Saudi Arabia 50 years after death
Senegal Berne, TRIPS
Serbia 70 years after death
Seychelles 25 years after death

25 years after publication (photograph, film, or broadcast)

25 years after creation (sound recording)
Singapore 70 years after death or if published after death 70 years after publication (literary, dramatic or musical work, or in an artistic work other than a photograph)

70 years after publication (photograph)

70 years after publication (sound recordings and cinematograph films)

50 years after making (television broadcasts, sound broadcasts, cable programmes)

70 years after publication (literary, dramatic or musical work, or engraving or a photograph made by or under the direction or control of the Government)

70 years after making (artistic work, other than engraving or a photograph, made by or under the direction or control of the Government)

Slovakia 70 years after death
Slovenia 70 years after death
Solomon Islands 50 years after death
Somalia unknown
South Africa 50 years after death

50 years after publication (cinematograph films, photographs, computer programs, sound recordings, broadcasts, programme-carrying signals, published editions, and some government works)

Spain 70 years after death

[80 years after death(1879 - 1987), 60 years after death(1987 - 1994)]
Sri Lanka 50 years after death
Sudan 50 years after death

photographs and works published under unknown pseudonym or anonymously 25 years after publication
Suriname Berne, TRIPS
Swaziland 50 years after death
Sweden 70 years after death
Switzerland 70 years after death effective 1 July 1993 non-retroactively, but 50 years after death for computer programs

50 years after performance (performers’ rights)

50 years after death (before the law change on 1 July 1993, applicable for deaths through 1942)
Syria 50 years after death; Photographs 10 years after publication;
Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) 50 years after death (TRIPS)

50 years after publication (photographic works, audiovisual works, sound recordings, and performances)

Tajikistan Berne
Tanzania 50 years after death
Thailand 50 years after death
Timor Leste 50 years after death
Togo 50 years after death
Tonga 50 years after death
Trinidad and Tobago 50 years after death
Tunisia 50 years after death
Turkey 70 years after death
Turkmenistan unknown
Tuvalu 50 years after death
Uganda TRIPS
Ukraine 70 years after death

[50 years after death]
United Arab Emirates 50 years after death
United Kingdom 70 years after death
United States of America 70 years after death (works published since 1978)

95 years after publication or 120 years after creation whichever is shorter (anonymous works, pseudonymous works, or works made for hire, published since 1978)

95 years after publication for works published 1964-1977; 28 (if copyright not renewed) or 95 years after publication for works published 1923-1963 (Copyrights prior to 1923 have expired.)

Uruguay 50 years after death
Uzbekistan 50 years after death
Vanuatu unknown
Vatican City 70 years after death
Venezuela 60 years after death (an audiovisual work, a broadcast work or a computer program)

60 years after publication or if not published 60 years after creation
Vietnam Berne
Yemen 30 years after death
Zambia 50 years after death
Zimbabwe 50 years after death (literary, dramatic, and musical works)

50 years after death (non-photograph artistic works)

50 years after publication (photographs)

50 years after creation (Sound recordings)

50 years after publication (cinematograph films, broadcasts)

Where no more specific information is available for a country, an indication of its probable minimum copyright term can be gained from its status as:

  • a signatory of the Berne Convention (“Berne”); minimum term of 50 years after death, except for photographs.
  • a member of the WTO (“TRIPS”); minimum term of 50 years after death.
  • a candidate for membership of the European Union (“EU”); term must be 70 years after death before accession.

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