Notification Regarding Copyright Rules

March 19, 2013

The Copyright Division, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development has notified the Copyright Rules, 2013 on March 14, 2013.

The introduction of new provisions under the Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012, which came into force on June 21, 2012, led to amendments in the Copyright Rules, 1958 as well. The draft Rules were posted on the website of the Copyright Office and comments and suggestions were sought on the same from all stakeholders and copyrights experts with a deadline of October 8, 2012.

The one amendment worth mentioning in the new Copyright Rules, 2013 is the considerable enhancement in the fee for the registration of copyright for various works and fees for licenses to be issued by the register of Copyrights.

  • The minimum fee for registration has been increased from Rs. 50/- per work to Rs. 500/- per work; while the maximum fee for the same has been enhanced from Rs. 600/- per work to Rs. 5,000/-.
  • The fee for licenses has been increased from Rs. 200/- to Rs. 2000/- per work and the maximum fee has been increased from Rs. 400/- to Rs. 40,000/-.

The new fee structure, as provided under Second Schedule of the Rules, is applicable from the date of Copyright Rules, 2013 coming into force, i.e. March 14, 2013

The Copyright Rules, 2013 further provides for the following new rules:

  • Statutory license for cover versions and broadcasting of literary and musical works and sound recording
  • Compulsory licenses for works withheld from public, whether unpublished and published works, for benefit of disabled
  • Registration of Copyright Societies and Performer’s Right Societies
  • Storage of transient or incidental copies of works
  • Making or adapting the work by organizations working for the benefit of persons with disabilities
  • Importation of infringing copies and technological protection measures

The revised fee structure has been made available on the website of the Copyright office at: http://copyright.gov.in/frmFeeDetailsShow.aspx

The notification can be accessed from the website of Press Information Bureau, Government of India at:http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=93921

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