Council Directive on copyright
The Council of the European Communities adopted a Directive harmonizing the term of protection of copyright and certain related rights on 29.11.1993. The economic and cultural importance of copyright (accounting in itself for an annual volume of business representing 3-5% of the Community's gross domestic product) led the Commission to introduce in 1992 a proposal on copyright and neighbouring rights, including the protection of intellectual property rights. It is the amended version of this proposal (COM(92) 602, published in OJ No C 27 of 30.1.1993) which is now adopted by the Council Decision. The Directive harmonizes rules concerning copyright on the highest existing levels of protection among the Member States: 70 years of protection after the death of the author in the case of copyright and 50 years of protection with regard to neighbouring rights. The Directive applies to all works and objects still protected in at least one Member State on 1.7.1995. One effect of this Decision is that in certain circumstances rights will be revived in some Member States.