The Directive “term of protection“ of 29 of October 1993

Directive  93/98 of 29 October 1993 harmonising the term of protection of copyright and certain related rights=> Download PDF file ...

This Directive is much more modest than the other Directives on copyright and neighbouring rights, as its objective is to harmonise the duration of protection of authors' and neighbouring rights in the European Union.

The Directive contains no definition.

Article 3 refers to the duration of protection for neighbouring rights. The protection of performers' rights expires 50 years after the date of the performance.

If a fixation of a performance is published or communicated to the public within this period, the rights shall expire 50 years from the date of the first such publication or the first such communication to the public.

This is a considerable progress comparing to 20 year protection granted under the Rome Convention ..., although these 50 years can not be considered as a satisfactory duration in the future (compared to the 70 years granted to the authors).