New Copyright Law Enters into Force in Kosovo

The new Law on Copyright and Related Rights entered into force in Kosovo on December 15, 2011. The first Law on Copyright and Related Rights, adopted in 2006, had never been implemented in practice.

The new law does not introduce any changes in the substantive copyright law. It rather clarifies the role and activities of the Office on the Copyright and Related Rights, operating under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

According to the new copyright law, the Office’s main activities are to:

• License copyright collective societies;
• Revoke licenses issued to copyright collective societies;
• Supervise the activities of copyright collective societies;
• Provide the needed information to authors and other copyright owners with respect to the rights covered by the law;
• Keep abreast of international legal developments and provide recommendations with regard to copyright and related rights.

The new law excludes the possibility for copyright holders to deposit the copies of the works and the subject matter of the related rights works with the Office. This was possible under the former law and was done in order to preserve evidence or for any other reason.

For more information, please contact Jelena Jankovic at our Balkan Regional Office.

Source: Kosovo IPO