Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997
1997 No. 3032
COPYRIGHT
RIGHTS IN DATABASES
The Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997
Made 18th December 1997
Coming into force 1st January 1998
Whereas a draft of the following Regulations has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament:
Now, therefore, the Secretary of State, being a Minister designated for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 19721in relation to measures relating to copyright2and measures relating to the prevention of unauthorised extraction of the contents of a database and of unauthorised re-utilisation of those contents3, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2(2) and (4) of that Act, hereby makes the following Regulations:—
PART I
INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS
Citation, commencement and extent
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997.
(2) These Regulations come into force on 1st January 1998.
(3) These Regulations extend to the whole of the United Kingdom.
Implementation of Directive
2.—(1) These Regulations make provision for the purpose of implementing—
(a)
(a) Council Directive No. 96/9/ECof 11 March 19964on the legal protection of databases, and
(b)
(b) certain obligations of the United Kingdom created by or arising under the EEA Agreement so far as relating to the implementation of that Directive.
(2) In this Regulation “the EEA Agreement” means the Agreement on the European Economic Area signed at Oporto on 2nd May 19925, as adjusted by the Protocol signed at Brussels on 17th March 19936.
Interpretation
3. In these Regulations “the 1988 Act” means the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 19887.
Scheme of the Regulations
4.—(1) The 1988 Act is amended in accordance with the provisions of Part II of these Regulations, subject to the savings and transitional provisions in Part IV of these Regulations.
(2) Part III of these Regulations has effect subject to those savings and transitional provisions.
PART II
AMENDMENT OF THE COPYRIGHT, DESIGNS AND PATENTS ACT 1988
Copyright in databases
5. In section 3(1), in the definition of “literary work”—
(a) in paragraph (a) after “compilation” insert “other than a database”;
(b) at the end of paragraph (b) leave out “and”;
(c) at the end of paragraph (c) insert “and (d) a database;”.
Meaning of “database”
6. After section 3 insert—
“Databases
3A.—(1) In this Part “database” means a collection of independent works, data or other materials which—
(a)
(a) are arranged in a systematic or methodical way, and
(b)
(b) are individually accessible by electronic or other means.
(2) For the purposes of this Part a literary work consisting of a database is original if, and only if, by reason of the selection or arrangement of the contents of the database the database constitutes the author’s own intellectual creation.”.
Meaning of “adaptation” in relation to database
7. In section 21 (infringement by making adaptation or act done in relation to adaptation), in subsection (3)—
(a) in paragraph (a), for “other than a computer program or” substitute “other than a computer program or a database, or in relation to a”, and
(b) after paragraph (ab) insert—
“(ac)
“(ac) in relation to a database, means an arrangement or altered version of the database or a translation of it;”.
Research
8.—(1) In section 29 (research and private study), in subsection (1), after “literary” insert “work, other than a database, or a”.
(2) After subsection (1) of that section insert—
“1A Fair dealing with a database for the purposes of research or private study does not infringe any copyright in the database provided that the source is indicated.”.
(3) After subsection (4) of that section insert—
“5 The doing of anything in relation to a database for the purposes of research for a commercial purpose is not fair dealing with the database.”.
Permitted acts in relation to databases
9. After section 50C insert—
“Databases: permitted acts(50D) Acts permitted in relation to databases.(1) It is not an infringement of copyright in a database for a person who has a right to use the database or any part of the database, (whether under a licence to do any of the acts restricted by the copyright in the database or otherwise) to do, in the exercise of that right, anything which is necessary for the purposes of access to and use of the contents of the database or of that part of the database.(2) Where an act which would otherwise infringe copyright in a database is permitted under this section, it is irrelevant whether or not there exists any term or condition in any agreement which purports to prohibit or restrict the act (such terms being, by virtue of section 296B, void).”.
Avoidance of certain terms
10. After section 296A insert—
“Databases(296B) Avoidance of certain terms relating to databasesWhere under an agreement a person has a right to use a database or part of a database, any term or condition in the agreement shall be void in so far as it purports to prohibit or restrict the performance of any act which would but for section 50D infringe the copyright in the database.”.
Defined expressions
11. In section 179 (index of defined expressions), in the appropriate place in alphabetical order insert—
“database |
section 3A(1)” |
“original (in relation to a database) |
section 3A(2)”. |
PART III
DATABASE RIGHT
Interpretation
12.—(1) In this Part—
“database” has the meaning given by section 3A(1) of the 1988 Act (as inserted by Regulation 6);
“extraction”, in relation to any contents of a database, means the permanent or temporary transfer of those contents to another medium by any means or in any form;
“insubstantial”, in relation to part of the contents of a database, shall be construed subject to Regulation 16(2);
“investment” includes any investment, whether of financial, human or technical resources;
“jointly”, in relation to the making of a database, shall be construed in accordance with Regulation 14(6);
“lawful user”, in relation to a database, means any person who (whether under a licence to do any of the acts restricted by any database right in the database or otherwise) has a right to use the database;
“maker”, in relation to a database, shall be construed in accordance with Regulation 14;
“re-utilisation”, in relation to any contents of a database, means making those contents available to the public by any means;
“substantial”, in relation to any investment, extraction or re-utilisation, means substantial in terms of quantity or quality or a combination of both.
(2) The making of a copy of a database available for use, on terms that it will or may be returned, otherwise than for direct or indirect economic or commercial advantage, through an establishment which is accessible to the public shall not be taken for the purposes of this Part to constitute extraction or re-utilisation of the contents of the database.
(3) Where the making of a copy of a database available through an establishment which is accessible to the public gives rise to a payment the amount of which does not go beyond what is necessary to cover the costs of the establishment, there is no direct or indirect economic or commercial advantage for the purposes of paragraph (2).
(4) Paragraph (2) does not apply to the making of a copy of a database available for on-the-spot reference use.
(5) Where a copy of a database has been sold within the EEA by, or with the consent of, the owner of the database right in the database, the further sale within the EEA of that copy shall not be taken for the purposes of this Part to constitute extraction or re-utilisation of the contents of the database.
Database right
13.—(1) A property right (“database right”) subsists, in accordance with this Part, in a database if there has been a substantial investment in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents of the database.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) it is immaterial whether or not the database or any of its contents is a copyright work, within the meaning of Part I of the 1988 Act.
(3) This Regulation has effect subject to Regulation 18.
The maker of a database
14.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) to (4), the person who takes the initiative in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents of a database and assumes the risk of investing in that obtaining, verification or presentation shall be regarded as the maker of, and as having made, the database.
(2) Where a database is made by an employee in the course of his employment, his employer shall be regarded as the maker of the database, subject to any agreement to the contrary.
(3) Subject to paragraph (4), where a database is made by Her Majesty or by an officer or servant of the Crown in the course of his duties, Her Majesty shall be regarded as the maker of the database.
(4) Where a database is made by or under the direction or control of the House of Commons or the House of Lords—
(a)
(a) the House by whom, or under whose direction or control, the database is made shall be regarded as the maker of the database, and
(b)
(b) if the database is made by or under the direction or control of both Houses, the two Houses shall be regarded as the joint makers of the database.
(5) For the purposes of this Part a database is made jointly if two or more persons acting together in collaboration take the initiative in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents of the database and assume the risk of investing in that obtaining, verification or presentation.
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