Copyright for Performers – An Obligation under International Law

Abstract

Performers’ performances are protected through a so-called neighbouring rights structure, which is in some respects weaker than the copyright proper. Most importantly, performers’ performances have a shorter term of protection than works of authorship and are not protected against imitations. Nor is the protection conditional upon the performance taking a particular form; the protection conferred on a professional, outstanding artistic performance is the same as that conferred on a reading by a child. It has long been debated whether performing artists, in addition to or instead of neighbouring rights, can claim copyright to their performances as adaptations of the performed work. Such protection would be based on the performer’s cultural contribution and might serve to put the performance on a par with other creative works, such as the painter’s expression of how she sees and wishes to convey a landscape or the translator’s recreation of a literary work in another language. In the article, we conclude that neither international treaties nor European Union law (EU- Law) prevents the granting of copyright to performers’ original performances in national law and EU law. On the contrary, the uniform meaning of the term ‘work of authorship’ in EU law probably implies that Member States are required to grant copyright protection in performers’ performances that fulfil the originality requirement.

Copyright for Performers – An Obligation under International Law