WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE
ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIOIP/N/1/SGP/C/3
14 March 2000
(00-0979)
Council for Trade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property RightsOriginal:  English/
anglais/
inglés
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
LAWS AND REGULATIONS NOTIFIED UNDER
ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT
SINGAPORE
The present document reproduces the text1 of the Copyright (International Protection)
Regulations, as notified by Singapore under Article 63.2 of the Agreement (see document
IP/N/1/SGP/3).
Conseil des aspects des droits de propriété
intellectuelle qui touchent au commerce
PRINCIPALES LOIS ET REGLEMENTATIONS CONSACREES A LA
PROPRIETE INTELLECTUELLE NOTIFIEES AU TITRE
DE L'ARTICLE 63:2 DE L'ACCORD
SINGAPOUR
Le présent document contient le texte1 du Règlement sur le droit d'auteur (Protection
internationale), notifié par Singapour au titre de  l'article 63:2 de l'Accord (voir le document
IP/N/1/SGP/3).
Consejo de los Aspectos de los Derechos de Propiedad
Intelectual relacionados con el Comercio
PRINCIPALES LEYES Y REGLAMENTOS DEDICADOS A LA PROPIEDAD
INTELECTUAL NOTIFICADOS EN VIRTUD DEL PÁRRAFO 2
DEL ARTÍCULO 63 DEL ACUERDO
SINGAPUR
En el presente documento se reproduce el texto1 del Reglamento sobre Derecho de Autor
(protección internacional), notificado por Singapur de conformidad con el párrafo 2 del artículo 63 del
Acuerdo (véase el documento IP/N/1/SGP/3).
                                                     
1 English only/Anglais seulement/En inglés solamente.IP/N/1/SGP/C/3
Page 2
COPYRIGHT ACT
(CHAPTER 63, SECTIONS 184 AND 202)
COPYRIGHT (INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION) REGULATIONS
S 110 /87
S 120 /87S 185 /87S 262 /88
S 430 /90
S 486 /96S 120 /97
S 120/97S 299/97S 225/98
[10th April 1987 ]
Citation.
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Copyright (International Protection) Reg-
ulations.
Definitions.
2. — (1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —
“at a material time”  means —
(a) in relation to, or in relation to the application of the Act in respect of a
work or other subject-matter that is unpublished —
(i) at the time when the work or other subject-matter was made; or
(ii) if the making of the work or other subject-matter extended over a
period—  over a substantial part of that period;
(b) in relation to, or in relation to the application of the Act in respect of a
work or other subject-matter that has been published —  at the time when
the work or other subject-matter was first published; and
(c) in relation to a sound broadcast or a television broadcast—  at the time
when that broadcast was made;
S 486 /96 wef 15.11.96.
“simultaneously”  means —
(a) in relation to publications that took place before 10th April 1987 — within
a period of 14 days; and
(b) in any other case —  within a period of 30 days;
“country of origin”  means —IP/N/1/SGP/C/3
Page 3
(a) in relation to a published work, published cinematograph film or published
sound recording the first publication of which took place in one country
only, being a country that constitutes, or forms part of, the territory of a
country specified in the Schedule—  the country so constituting or
forming part of that territory;
(b) in relation to a published work, published cinematograph film or published
sound recording the first publication of which took place simultaneously
in a country that constitutes, or forms part of, the territory of a country
specified in the Schedule and in a country that does not constitute, or
form part of, the territory of that country so specified—  the former
country;
(c) in relation to a published work, published cinematograph film or published
sound recording the first publication of which took place simultaneously
in two or more countries each of which constitutes, or forms part of, the
territory of a country specified in the Schedule —  the country the law of
which confers the shortest term of protection in the nature of copyright in
relation to the work, film or recording;
(d) in relation to an unpublished work or in relation to a published work the
first publication of which took place only in a country that constitutes, or
forms part of, the territory of a country not specified in the Schedule —
whichever of the following countries confers the longest term of
protection in the nature of copyright in relation to the work:
(i) a country of which the author was a national or citizen at a material
time;
(ii) a country in which the author was resident at a material time; and
(e) in relation to an unpublished cinematograph film or unpublished sound
recording or in relation to a published cinematograph film or published
sound recording the first publication of which took place only in a coun-
try that constitutes, or forms part of, the territory of a country not spec-
ified in the Schedule, whichever of the following countries confers the
longest term of protection in the nature of copyright in relation to the film
or recording —
(i) of which the maker was a national or citizen at a material time;
(ii) in which the maker was resident at a material time;
(iii) under the law of which the maker, being a body corporate, was in-
corporated at a material time; or
(iv) in which the film or recording was made;
“performance” means a live performance of a kind referred to in paragraph (a),
(b), (c), (d) or (e) of the definition of "performance"in section 246(1) of the Actbut does not include a performance of a kind referred to in section 246(2) of the
Act;IP/N/1/SGP/C/3
Page 4
“relevant broadcaster”  means a broadcasting organisation that —
(a) has its headquarters in the country from which the sound broadcast or the
television broadcast, as the case may be, is made; and
(b) is entitled under the law of that country to make the sound broadcast or the
television broadcast, as the case may be.
S 486 /96 wef 15.11.96.
(2) Subject to paragraph (2A), a reference in these Regulations to a subject-matter
other than a work shall be read as a reference to a sound recording, a cinematograph
film, a published edition of a work or works, a sound broadcast or a television broad-cast.
Subst. by S 486 /96 wef 15.11.96.
(2A) The references in paragraphs (a) and (b) of the definition of “ at a material
time”  in paragraph (1) to a subject-matter other than a work shall not include a sound
broadcast or a television broadcast.
S 486 /96 wef 15.11.96.
(3) For the purposes of these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —
(a) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands of the United
States of America shall be deemed to form part of the territory of the United
States of America; and
(b) the Channel Islands, Anguilla, the Pitcairn Islands, British Indian Ocean
Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Falkland
Islands Dependencies, Gibraltar, Isle of Man, Montserrat, St. Helena, St.Helena Dependencies (Ascension, Tristan da Cunha), Bermuda and the Turks
and Caicos Islands shall be deemed to form part of the territory of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
S 486 /96 wef 15.11.96.
(4) For the purposes of these Regulations, protection in the nature of copyright shall
be deemed to be conferred in relation to a work or other subject-matter under the law
of a country other than Singapore if that law confers on the person entitled to the
protection the exclusive right to do in that country in relation to the work or other
subject-matter any one or more of the acts that are comprised in the copyright in the
work or other subject-matter under the Act.
Application of Act to foreign countries.
3. — (1) Subject to these Regulations, the Act shall apply in relation to—
(a) literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works and editions first published in a
country that constitutes, or forms part of the territory of a country specified in
the Schedule; andIP/N/1/SGP/C/3
Page 5
(b) sound recordings andcinematograph films made or first published in a country
that constitutes, or forms part of the territory of a country specified in the
Schedule,
in like manner as those provisions shall apply in relation to literary, dramatic, mu-
sical and artistic works and editions first published, and sound recordings  and cin-
ematograph films made or first published, in Singapore.
(1A) Subject to these Regulations, the Act shall apply in relation to sound recordings
made or first published in a country that constitutes, or forms part of, the territory of a
country specified in Part I of the Schedule, in like manner as those provisions shall
apply in relation to sound recordings made or first published in Singapore.
(2) Subject to these Regulations, the Act shall apply in relation to artistic works
that—
(a) are buildings situated in a country that constitutes, or forms part of the ter-
ritory of a country specified in the Schedule; or
(b) are attached to, or form part of buildings situated in that country,
in like manner as those provisions shall apply in relation to artistic works that are
buildings situated in Singapore or are attached to, or form part of buildings situated in
Singapore.
(3) Subject to these Regulations, the provisions of the Act relating to works and
other subject-matter shall apply in relation to persons who, at a material time, are
citizens or nationals of a country specified in the Schedule in like manner as those
provisions shall apply in relation to persons who, at a material time, are citizens of
Singapore.
(4) Subject to these Regulations, the provisions of the Act relating to works and
other subject-matter shall apply in relation to persons who, at a material time, areresident in a country that constitutes, or forms part of, the territory of a country spec-
ified in the Schedule in like manner as those provisions shall apply in relation to per-
sons who, at a material time, are resident in Singapore.
(5) Subject to these Regulations, the Act shall apply in relation to bodies incorpo-
rated under the law of a country that constitutes, or forms part of, the territory of a
country specified in the Schedule in like manner as those provisions shall apply in
relation to bodies incorporated under the law of Singapore.
(6) Subject to these Regulations, the provisions of the Act shall apply in relation to a
sound broadcast or a television broadcast that has been made, at a material time, by a
relevant broadcaster from a place in a country that constitutes, or forms part of, the
territory of a country specified in the Schedule in like manner as those provisions shall
apply in relation to a sound broadcast or a television broadcast made by a broadcasting
licensee from a place in Singapore.
S 486 /96 wef 15.11.96.
(7) Part XII of the Act shall apply to the following performances:IP/N/1/SGP/C/3
Page 6
(a) a performance by a performer who is a citizen or national of, or resident in, a
country that constitutes, or forms part of, the territory of a country specified
in Part I of the Schedule; and
(b) a performance given in a country that constitutes, or forms part of, the ter-
ritory of a country specified in Part I of the Schedule.
Term of copyright in overseas works.
4. Copyright subsisting in a published work, published cinematograph film or pub-
lished sound recording by reason only of the operation of these Regulations ceases to
subsist upon the expiration of the term of the protection in the nature of copyright that
subsists in relation to such a work, film or recording under the law of the country of
origin of the work, film or recording.
Copyright not to subsist in overseas editions in certain cases.
5. Where copyright subsists in a published edition of a work or works by reason only
of the operation of these Regulations, that copyright subsists only so long as
protection in the nature of copyright subsists in relation to the edition under the law
of—
(a) a country of which the publisher of the edition was a national or citizen at a
material time; or
(b) a country —
(i) in which the edition was first published;
(ii) in which the publisher of the edition was resident at a material time; or
(iii) under the law of which the publisher of the edition, being a body corporate,
was incorporated at a material time,
being a country that constitutes, or forms part of, the territory of a country specified
in the Schedule.
Application of certain provisions of Act to works, etc., of certain countries.
6. Where a work was first published before 10th April 1987 in any country specified
in the Schedule, section 210 of the Act shall apply to the work as if, for the purpose of
determining, for the purpose of that section, whether copyright subsisted in a work
under the Copyright Act 1911* immediately before 10th April 1987, the work was
first published in Singapore. 2
U.K. 1911 C. 46.
S 486 /96 wef. 15.11.96
                                                     
2* Repealed by section 203 of the Copyright Act 1987 (Act 2 /87).IP/N/1/SGP/C/3
Page 7
Works made before 1st July 1912.
7. Where, in relation to a work that was made before 1st July 1912—
(a) the work was first published or performed in; or
(b) the author of the work was, at a material time, a national, citizen or resident
of,
a country specified in the Schedule, Division 5 of Part XI of the Act shall apply to
the work as if —
(c) the work was first published or performed in Singapore; or
(d) the author of the work was, at a material time, a citizen of Singapore or a
resident of Singapore.
Protection of existing rights.
8. — (1) Where a person has, at any time before 10th April 1987, taken action
whereby he has incurred expenditure or liability in connection with the doing of any
act in relation to a work or other subject-matter in a manner that at that time was law-
ful, or for the purpose of or with a view to the doing of any act in relation to a work or
other subject-matter at a time when the doing of that act would, but for the making of
these Regulations, have been lawful, nothing in these Regulations shall diminish or
prejudice any right or interest arising from or in connection with that action that issubsisting and valuable immediately before 10th April 1987 unless the person who by
virtue of the operation of these Regulations has the exclusive right to do that act
agrees to pay to the first-mentioned person such compensation as is reasonable in the
circumstances.
(2) Where —
(a) an amendment of these Regulations inserts the name of a country in, or adds
the name of a country at the end of, the Schedule; and
(b) a person has, at any time before the date on which the amendment comes into
operation, taken action whereby he has incurred expenditure or liability in
connection with the doing of any act in relation to a work or other subject-
matter in a manner that at that time was lawful, or for the purpose of or with
a view to the doing of any act in relation to a work or any subject- matter at a
time when the doing of that act would, but for the amendment, have been
lawful,
nothing in these Regulations shall diminish or prejudice any right or interest arising
from or in connection with that action that is subsisting and valuable immediately
before the date on which the amendment comes into operation unless the person who,
by virtue of the operation of these Regulations upon the country being specified in the
Schedule, has the exclusive right to do that act agrees to pay to the first- mentioned
person such compensation as is reasonable in the circumstances.IP/N/1/SGP/C/3
Page 8
Protection of existing rights in relation to performances
8A. — (1) Where a person has, at any time 16th April 1998, taken action whereby he
has incurred expenditure or liability —
(a) in connection with the doing of any act in relation to a performance in a
manner that at that time was lawful; or
(b) for the purpose of or with a view to the doing of any act in relation to a per-
formance at a time when the doing of that act would, but for the making of
the Copyright (International Protection) (Amendment) Regulations 1998
(G.N. No.S225/98), have been lawful,
nothing in these Regulations shall diminish or prejudice any right or interest arising
from or in connection with that action that is subsisting and valuable immediatelybefore that date unless the performer of the performance agrees to pay to the person
such compensation as is reasonable in the circumstances.
(2) Where —
(a) an amendment of these Regulations inserts the name of a country in the
Schedule; and
(b) a person has, at any time before the date on which the amendment comes into
operation, taken action whereby he has incurred expenditure or liability inconnection with the doing of an act in relation to a performance in a manner
that at the time was lawful, or for the purpose of or with a view to the doing
of any act in relation to a performance at a time when the doing of that act
would, but for the amendment, have been lawful,
nothing in these Regulations shall diminish or prejudice any right or interest arising
in connection with that action that is subsisting and valuable immediately before the
date on which the amendment comes into operation unless the performer of the per-formance agrees to pay to the person such compensation as is reasonable in the cir-
cumstances.
Revocation.
9. — (1) The Orders in Council dated 3rd February 1915 and 9th February 1920
regulating copyright relations with the United States of America and the Copyright
(United States of America) Order 1942 are revoked.
UK S.R. & O 1915/130 1920/257 UK S.I. 1942/1579.
(2) Nothing in paragraph (1) shall affect any copyright subsisting in any work or
subject-matter first published in the United States of America before 10th April 1987
if, immediately before that date, copyright under the Copyright Act 1911* subsisted insuch work or subject-matter by virtue of either the Orders in Council or the Order
referred to in paragraph (1). 3
                                                     
3Repealed by section 203 of the Copyright Act 1987 (Act 2 /87). U.K. 1911 C. 46.IP/N/1/SGP/C/3
Page 9
Transitional.
10. Where a person has, at any time before 1st December 1990, taken action where-
by he has incurred expenditure or liability in connection with the doing of any act in
relation to a work or other subject-matter in a manner that at that time was lawful, or
for the purpose of or with a view to the doing of any act in relation to a work or other
subject-matter at a time when the doing of the act would, but for the making of theseRegulations, have been lawful, nothing in these Regulations shall diminish or
prejudice any right or interest arising from or in connection with that action that is
subsisting and valuable immediately before that date unless the person who, by virtue
of the operation of these Regulations has the exclusive right to do that act, agrees to
pay to the first-mentioned person such compensation as is reasonable in thecircumstances.
THE SCHEDULE
Regulations 2, 3, 5, 7 and 8.
PART I
Members of the World Trade Organisation
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Australia
AustriaBahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belgium
BelizeBenin
Bolivia
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei DarussalamBulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
CameroonIP/N/1/SGP/C/3
Page 10
Canada
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
Colombia
CongoCosta Rica
Cote d’ Ivoire
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
DjiboutiDominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El SalvadorEuropean Community
Fiji
Finland
France
GabonGambia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
GrenadaGuatemala
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Guyana
HaitiHonduras
Hong Kong
HungaryIP/N/1/SGP/C/3
Page 11
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
ItalyJamaica
Japan
Kenya
Kuwait
Lesotho
Liechtenstein
LuxembourgMacau
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
MaldivesMali
Malta
Mauritania
Mauritius
MexicoMongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
NamibiaNetherlands —  for the Kingdom in Europe and for the Netherlands Antilles
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Nigeria
NorwayPakistan
Papua New Guinea
ParaguayIP/N/1/SGP/C/3
Page 12
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Republic of KoreaRomania
Rwanda
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Senegal
Sierra LeoneSlovak Republic
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
SpainSri Lanka
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
SwitzerlandThailand
Togo
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
TurkeyUganda
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United Republic of Tanzania
United States of AmericaUruguay
Venezuela
ZaireIP/N/1/SGP/C/3
Page 13
Zambia
Zimbabwe.
S 486 /96 wef 15.11.96.
PART II
States Party to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works which are not
members of the World Trade Organisation
State
Albania
Algeria
BahamasBelarus
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Cape Verde
China
CroatiaEquatorial Guinea
Estonia
Georgia
Holy See
LarviaLebanon
Liberia
Libya
Lithuania
MonacoRepublic of Moldova
Russian Federation
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Ukraine
Yugoslavia
[G.N. Nos. S486/96; S120/97; S299/97]
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