The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia has adopted the Law on Amendments to the Law on Copyright and Related Rights (hereinafter: the Law), which entered into force on September 26, 2019.

Novelties introduced by this Law are in line with the provisions of the relevant EU directives, establishing a more efficient system of legal protection of copyright and related rights and a more effective collective exercise of copyright and related rights.

The Law aimed at improving the collective exercise of copyright and related rights, extends the protection of property rights of performers and phonogram producers from 50 to 70 years and strengthens civil and legal protection of copyright and related rights by expanding the circle of entities that can file an infringement claim.

The legislator also provides possibility of imposing preliminary injunction measures without hearing when such delay could inflict damage to the plaintiff and permits the court to order a temporary measure of seizure of movable and immovable property, as well as measure of prohibiting any payments from the account of the respondent.

According to the amendments a computer program or software are subject to copyright along with related technical and user documentation, and databases should be treated as copyrighted work and are also subject of related rights.

Furthermore, the Law prescribes the duration of rights of co-authors on music works with lyrics lasts for 70 years from the death of the last surviving co-author of the composition or the lyrics.

The Law also stipulates that actors are entitled to a compensation from broadcasters for broadcasting their recording.

The adopted Amendments to the Law on Copyright and Related Rights align with 80% of EU directives in the field of intellectual property rights and it is considered that the Law improves greatly the exercise of copyright and related rights in Serbia.

If you require any further information on changes in IP Law, feel free to contact us.