Scientific and critical editions can be protected by copyright as works of authorship if enough creativity/originality is provided. The mere addition of a word, or substitution of a term with another one believed to be more correct, usually does not achieve such level of originality/creativity. All the notes accounting for the analysis and why and how such changes have been made represent a different work autonomously copyrightable if the other requirements are satisfied. In the European Union critical and scientific editions may be protected also by <answer>the relevant neighboring right that protects critical and scientific publications of public domain works</answer> as made possible by art. 5 of the Copyright Term Directive. Not all EU member States have transposed art. 5 into national law.
What rights do scientific publications in the EU enjoy?
the relevant neighboring right that protects critical and scientific publications of public domain works