United Kingdom

[GB] No statutory protection for programme formats

IRIS 1997-4:1/30

Jaap Haeck

Institute for Information Law (IViR), University of Amsterdam

In IRIS 1996-7: 10 we reported that in March 1996, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) issued a further Consultative Document on the protection of programme formats. In a possible amendment of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 annexed to the Consultative Document, it was proposed to add some paragraphs to Section 17 (infringement of copyright by copying). As a result copyright on a copyright protected work would be infringed when the underlying format of the work would be copied in a new radio or television programme. In November 1996 the DTI indicated to the interested parties that it did not intend to go on with the creation of specific statutory protection for formats.