Belgium

[BE] Publication of New Copyright Act Causes Problems

IRIS 1995-1:1/16

Ad van Loon

European Audiovisual Observatory

On 27 July 1994 a new Belgian Copyright Act was published in the official journal, the Moniteur belge/Belgisch Staatsblad. Following this publication, the Act would have entry into force on 1 August 1994.

However, as it turned out, the official journal published the version approved by the Chamber but not by the Senate. The Senate made many textual changes to the version adopted by the Chamber, especially to the Flemish version but also to the French version.

In an attempt to rectify the accidental publication the responsible Minister published a list of errata in the official journal. Belgian lawyers are now wondering which version was really enacted, which version was actually signed by the King and when the new Copyright Act has entry into force (if it did).


References

  • Loi relative au droit d'auteur et aux droits voisins/Wet betreffende het auterusrecht en de naburige rechten du 30 juin 1994, Moniteur belge/Belgisch Staatsblad du 27 juillet 1994, p. 19297-19314 et Moniteur belge/Belgisch Staatsblad du 22 juillet 1994, 3-20.
  • Loi relative au droit d'auteur et aux droits voisins/Wet betreffende het auteursrecht en de naburige rechten of 30 June 1994, Moniteur belge/Belgisch Staatsblad of 27 July 1994, p. 19297-19314and Moniteur belge/Belgisch Staatsblad of 22 November 1994: 3-20.

This article has been published in IRIS Legal Observations of the European Audiovisual Observatory.