RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE IP/Q/ESP/1
4November 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4618)
Original: Spanish/English*Council forTrade-Related Aspects
ofIntellectual Property Rights
REVIEW OFLEGISLATION ONCOPYRIGHT AND RELATED RIGHTS
Spain1
Thepresent document reproduces thequestions puttothedelegation ofSpain andtheresponses
given inthereview oflegislation oncopyright andrelated rights attheCouncil 'smeeting of
22to25July19962.
_______________
REPLIES TOQUESTIONS POSED BYTHE UNITED STATES
General observation
Inconnection withthequestions posed toSpain bytheUnited States during thereview of
intellectual property rights bytheCouncil forTrade-Related Aspects ofIntellectual Property Rights,
itshould benoted thatallthereferences toSpanish legislation inthequestionnaire areoutofdateas
theydonottakeintoaccount theentry intoforceofRoyal Legislative Decree 1/96of12April (Official
Journal of22April 1996), which approves theamended textoftheIntellectual Property Law. As
mentioned, thislegislation wasdulynotified bothtotheTRIPS Council andtoWIPO.
Replies toquestions
1. Please explain whether andhowSpain 'slawprovides protection forworks, phonograms and
performances fromother WTO Members, andwhether andhowitdoessoonthebasis ofnational
treatment, asrequired byTRIPS Article 3(generally, withrespect toallcopyright andneighbouring
rights) andArticle 9.1(incorporating Berne Article 5(1)). Inparticular, please explain hownational
treatment isafforded withrespect tothedistribution oflevies forprivate copying under Article 25of
Spain 'sCopyright Law.
Theaforementioned amended textoftheIntellectual Property Lawprescribes theprinciple
ofnational treatment forauthors inArticle 155andforperformers andproducers inArticles 156and
157. Spanish lawapplies theprinciple ofnational treatment toallrights specifically dealtwithinthe
TRIPS Agreement, pursuant toArticle 3.1thereof.
*Spanish forthereplies andEnglish forthequestions.
1Spain 'snotification oflawsandregulations intheareaofcopyright andrelated rights under Article 63.2
oftheAgreement hasbeen circulated indocuments IP/N/1/ESP/1/Rev.1 andIP/N/1/ESP/C/1-6.
2Theminutes ofthemeeting have been circulated indocument IP/C/M/8.IP/Q/ESP/1
Page2
Article 25oftheSpanish lawdoes notcontain anyspecific rules onthedistribution of
compensatory payments forprivate copying although suchdistribution iscovered inArticles 36,37.2
and38ofRoyalDecree1434/1992of27November,whichdonotprovideanyexceptionstotheprinciple
ofnational treatment.
2. Does Spain apply the"rule oftheshorter term" tophonograms andperformances fromother
WTO Members? Ifso,please explain howyoujustify suchaction under TRIPS Article 4.
Articles 156.4 and157.3 oftheRoyal Legislative Decree 1/96prescribe thattheterm of
protection forperformers andproducers (50years) shallalsoapply inthecaseofrightholders who
arenotnationals oftheEuropean Union provided thatprotection isguaranteed inSpain under an
internationalagreement(forexample,theTRIPSAgreement).However,withoutprejudicetotherelevant
international obligations, thetermofprotection expires onthedatefixed forexpiry inthecountry of
which therightholder isanational andmaynotunder anycircumstances exceed thetermlaiddown
intheaforementioned Article.
Thisprovision meets theobligations inArticle 7ofDirective 93/88 ontheharmonization of
theterm ofprotection, which arealsocovered inArticle 7ofLaw27/1995 of11October and
subsequently amended inArticles 156.4 and157.3 ofRoyal Legislative Decree 1/1996. Theword,
however, inthisrulecovers cases inwhich there arenorelevant international obligations.
3. Please explain whether andhowSpain protects against boththedirect andindirect reproduction
ofphonograms asrequired byTRIPS Article 14.2, including bydigital transmission inthecontext of
subscription orinteractive services.
Article 115ofRoyal Legislative Decree 1/96gives theproducer ofphonograms anexclusive
righttoauthorize thedirect orindirect reproduction ofthephonograms andthisrightisnotsubject
toanytechnological limitations.
4. Please explain whether andhowSpain provides fullretroactive protection toworks, phonograms
andperformances fromother WTO Members, asrequired byTRIPS Articles 9.1,14.6and70.2, each
ofwhich incorporate byreference orrelyupon Berne Article 18.Please givethedatebacktowhich
suchprotection extends withrespect toeachcategory ofsubject matter.
TransitionalProvision13ofRoyalLegislativeDecree1/96providesthat"thetermsofprotection
provided forinthisLawshallapply toallworks andperformances protected inSpain orinatleast
onemember State oftheEuropean Union on1July1995 pursuant tothecorresponding national
provisions onintellectual property rights", which isnotcontrary totheprovisions ofArticle 18of
theBerne Convention.
Itshould benoted inthisconnection thatthegeneral ruleonthetermofexploitation rights
inSpain iscurrently thefollowing:
Forworks: 70years afterthedeath oftheauthor or,where appropriate, aftertheirlawful
disclosure.
Forperformances: 50years from 1January following thedateoftheperformance.
Forphonographic reproduction: 50years from 1January following thedateofrecording.
Asindicated above, these terms ofprotection apply toallworks andperformances protected
inSpain orinamember State oftheEuropean Union on1July1995.IP/Q/ESP/1
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[Follow-up question]
PleaseclarifywhetherSpanishlawprovidesretroactiveprotectionforexistingworks,phonograms
andperformances fromallWTO Members, asrequired bytheTRIPS Agreement.
Withregard tofollow-up question 4concerning whether Spain applies fullretroactive protection
forallWTO Member States, weconfirm thattheprotection periods laiddown intheIntellectual Property
Law(70years forauthors; 50years forperformances andphonographic productions) areapplicable
tonationals ofWTO Member States pursuant totheprovisions ofArticles 155(forauthors), 156(for
interpreters andperformers) and157(forphonogram producers) oftheLaw. These Articles grant
nationals ofthirdcountries theprotection towhich theyareentitled under international treaties towhich
Spain isaparty (such astheTRIPS Agreement).
5. Please explain thecriminal andcivilremedies available forcopyright infringement andthe
extent towhich theyfullyimplement theobligations inTRIPS Articles 41,45,50and61.Intheresponse,
please specify interaliawhether these remedies mayinclude theseizure, forfeiture anddestruction
ofinfringing articles andtheequipment usedtomake theinfringing articles, asrequired byArticles 46
and61,andthemanner inwhich thegrant ofcivilprovisional relief isprovided inaccordance with
TRIPS Article 50.
Spain considers thatthisisnottheappropriate moment todealwiththismatter sincethesubject
willbedealtwithintheTRIPS Council during thesecond halfof1997.
6. Please explain howArticles 33(1), 37and38ofSpain 'sCopyright Law, which provide for
potentially broad exceptions totheexclusive rights granted tothecopyright owner, comply withBerne
Article 9(2)andTRIPS Article 13,which require limitations andexceptions toexclusive rights tobe
limited tocertain special cases which donotconflict withanormal exploitation ofthework anddo
notunreasonably prejudice thelegitimate interests oftheright holder.
Theexceptions tointellectual property rights contained inArticles 33.1, 37and38oftheLaw
meet theprovisions ofArticle 9.2oftheBerne Convention totheextent thatnoneofthem conflict
withthenormal exploitation ofthework norunreasonably prejudice thelegitimate interests oftheright
holder, andinaddition theyfulfil apurpose justified bythegeneral interest.
[Follow-up question]
Please explain whether andhowtheliteral textsofArticles 33.1, 37and38ofSpain 'sCopyright
Lawhavebeenlimited inapplication oroperation.
Weconfirm thatthelimitations established inArticles 33.1, 37and38arelimited intheir
operation andapplication, andtherefore donotconflict withanormal exploitation ofthework and
donotunreasonably prejudice thelegitimate interests oftherightholder, astheyareconsistent with
TRIPS Article 13.
7. Article 14ofTRIPS requires thatperformances beprotected foratermof50years fromwhen
theperformance tookplace andphonograms beprotected foraterm of50years from fixation.
Articles 106and111ofSpain 'sCopyright Law, however, appear toprotect performances and
phonograms foratermofprotection equal toonly40years. Please explain howthese Articles comply
withtherequirements ofTRIPS Article 14.
Thetermofprotection of50years established inArticle 14oftheTRIPS Agreement for
performers andproducers ofphonograms wasalready covered inSpanish legislation, inLaw27/1995,
which incorporates intoSpanish lawDirective 93/98/EEC ontheharmonization ofthetermofprotection
ofcopyright andcertain related rights. Currently, thisiscovered inArticles 112and119ofthe
aforementioned Royal Legislative Degree 1/96of12April.