Russian Federation

[RU] Amendment of copyright legislation

IRIS 1996-5:1/11

Andrea Schneider

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

Legislation dated 19.7.1995 has amended the Russian Federation's legislation on copyright and neighbouring rights.

One amendment concerns the wording of Article 11 on the law on copyright which sets out the copyright applicable to authors of anthologies and other collections involving the author's creative work in selecting and compiling material.

The amended Article 35, paragraph 1(4) now specifically includes in the scope of related rights of practising artists the related rights of foreign natural and legal persons where they are acknowledged in international agreements in the territory of the Russian Federation.

Articles 49 and 50 of the copyright law, covering the protection of copyrights and related rights, have also been amended.

Under Article 49, paragraph3, the holders of exclusive copyright and neighbouring rights can not only claim protection of their rights as before through the appropriate court, court of arbitration or tribunal, but also through an investigating body or the specific research body.

In addition, the procedure for seizing and destroying pirate copies (Article 49, pragraph 4) and the measures for ensuring applications (Article 50) have also been amended.