We can assist you if you have copyrights, e.g. you are a publisher of music, sound recordings, applied graphics, advertising or cinematic works, the owner of neighbouring rights or trademarks and industrial designs, or collective rights management, or if you wish to conclude a contract for the transfer of exploitation or property rights or would like to have such a contract reviewed.
The difference between patent protection and copyright protection
It is important to distinguish between patent protection and copyright protection. Patent protection generally begins with the patenting of a technical innovation, i.e. its registration by the competent authority, while copyright protection applies to the author from the moment the work is created.
Terms and conditions of copyright protection
The condition for copyright protection is the original, individual character of the work, meaning that mere copying is not protected. However, the aesthetic value of the work is not a condition for copyright protection, i.e. individual character and novelty are sufficient for protection; the work does not have to be liked by others or considered artistically valuable.
Very often, however, a work protected by copyright is created without the creator even knowing that it is protected by copyright. This can be the case, for example, with a photograph, a computer programme or even a simple drawing.
Copyright of works created in the course of employment
A particular issue may arise if you create a work protected by copyright while employed or in a similar legal relationship, as in such cases it must be determined whether the creation of the work was part of your job duties. If so, the employer automatically acquires the economic rights to the work.