Commons:Copyright rules by territory/Sri Lanka

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This page provides an overview of copyright rules of Sri Lanka relevant to uploading works into Wikimedia Commons. Note that any work originating in Sri Lanka must be in the public domain, or available under a free license, in both Sri Lanka and the United States before it can be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons. If there is any doubt about the copyright status of a work from Sri Lanka, refer to the relevant laws for clarification.

Background

Sri Lanka was occupied by the British in 1815. The country declared independence on 4 February 1948.

Sri Lanka has been a member of the Berne Convention since 4 February 1948. The declaration of continued application to the Berne convention after the accession of the State to independence was made on 20 July 1959, applicable as of the accession of the country to independence.[1] Sri Lanka joined the World Trade Organization as of 1 January 1995.[2]

As of 2018 the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), an agency of the United Nations, listed the Intellectual Property Act (Act No. 36 of 2003) as the main IP law enacted by the legislature of Sri Lanka.[2] WIPO holds the text of this law in their WIPO Lex database.[3] The 2003 Act repealed the Code of Intellectual Property Act, No. 52 of 1979.[36/2003 Section 208(1)]

Applicability

Copyright covers original literary and artistic works: writings such as books, computer programs, articles, oral works such as speeches and lectures, dramas, musical works, films, works of architecture, drawings, paintings and photographs.[36/2003 Section 6] Collections and derivative works such as databases and translations are also protected.[36/2003 Section 7]

General rules

Under Sri Lanka's Intellectual Property Act, No. 36 of 2003,

  • Economic and moral rights are protected during the life of the author and for 70 years from the date of his death.[36/2003 Section 13(1)]
  • With a work of joint authorship, the rights are protected during the life of the last surviving author and for 70 years from the date of the death of the last surviving author.[36/2003 Section 13(2)]
  • For a collective work, other than a work of applied art, and for an audiovisual work, the rights are protected for 70 years from the date on which the work was first published, or failing publication within 70 years from the making of the work.[36/2003 Section 13(3)]
  • With a work published anonymously or under a pseudonym, the rights are protected for 70 years from the date on which the work was first published, provided the author does not become known during that period.[36/2003 Section 13(4)]
  • With a work of applied art, the rights are protected for 25 years from the date of the making of the work.[36/2003 Section 13(5)]
  • Every period provided for above runs to the end of the calendar year in which it would otherwise expire.[36/2003 Section 13(6)]

Works not protected

Under Sri Lanka's Intellectual Property Act, No. 36 of 2003,

  • Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 6 and 7, no protection shall be extended under this Part (a) to any idea, procedure, system, method of operation, concept, principle, discovery or mere data, even if expressed, described, explained, illustrated or embodied in a work; (b) to any official text of a legislative, administrative or legal nature, as well as any official translation thereof; (c) to news of the day published, broadcast, or publicly communicated by any other means.[36/2003 Section 8]

Expression of folklore: not free

See also: Commons:Paying public domain Under Sri Lanka's Intellectual Property Act, No. 36 of 2003,

  • Subject to the provision of subsection (4) of this section expressions of folklore shall be protected against (a) reproduction; (b) communication to the public by performance, broadcasting, distribution by cable or other means; (c) adaptation, translation and other transformation, when such expressions are made either for commercial purposes or outside their traditional or customary context.[36/2003 Section 24(1)]
  • The right to authorize acts referred to in subsection (1) of this section shall subject to the payment of a prescribed fee, vest in a Competent authority to be determined by the Minister.[36/2003 Section 24(4)]
  • The money collected under subsection (4) shall be used for purposes of cultural development.[36/2003 Section 24(5)]

Currency

Shortcut
COM:CUR Sri Lanka

See also: Commons:Currency

X mark.svg Not OK The government works that are excepted from copyright are only "any official text of a legislative, administrative or legal nature, as well as any official translation thereof" (Intellectual Property Act, No. 36 of 2003, at Section 8B), so it is assumed that banknotes and coins are protected and not appropriate for Commons.

Freedom of panorama

See also: Commons:Freedom of panorama

X mark.svg Not OK Sri Lankan copyright law was revised 2001-2003. The changes introduced U.S.-style "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship or research, and dropped any direct reference to anything resembling "freedom of panorama".[36/2003 Section 11]

Stamps

See also: Commons:Stamps/Public domain

Copyrighted. The Intellectual Property Act No 36 of 2003 is silent on stamps, so assume copyrighted until general term of protection expires. It seems that stamps would be public domain if published before 1 January 1950, use {{PD-Sri Lanka}}.

See also

Citations

  1. Contracting Parties > Berne Convention > Sri Lanka. WIPO. Retrieved on 2020-03-31.
  2. a b Sri Lanka Copyright and Related Rights (Neighboring Rights). WIPO: World Intellectual Property Organization (2018). Retrieved on 2018-11-08.
  3. Intellectual Property Act (Act No. 36 of 2003). Sri Lanka (2003). Retrieved on 2018-11-08.
Caution: The above description may be inaccurate, incomplete and/or out of date, so must be treated with caution. Before you upload a file to Wikimedia Commons you should ensure it may be used freely. See also: Commons:General disclaimer