Czechia

[CZ] New law on the collective management of copyright and associated rights

IRIS 1996-4:1/13

Andrea Schneider

Institute of European Media Law (EMR), Saarbrücken/Brussels

The activity of copyright enforcement associations in the Czech Republic has recently been newly and comprehensively regulated by Act No. 237 of 27 September 1995.

The act makes changes in the copyright regulations embodied in Act No. 35/1965, the "Act on literary, scientific and artistic works" of 25 March 1965, last amended by Act No. 89/1990, and in a series of regulations on fees payable on works covered by copyright and associated rights.

Specifically, the act covers the public reproduction of works, the renting and hiring out of works, and remuneration for the private use of works. A new element is the payment of fees on reprography. Copyright associations must be formally licensed by authors, establish scales of charges, collect fees and distribute them in accordance with agreed distribution principles.

The Czech Ministry of Culture is responsible for licensing and supervising copyright associations.