Economy > Intellectual property > Copyright > Copyright duration relative to life of author: Countries Compared

DEFINITION: This stat compares the copyright duration of an original intellectual creation after its author's death. Although the definition is very variable, an original intellectual work can be described as the previously unpublished work of artistic or divulgative nature. As an almost universal rule, the copyright last for the entire life of the author or authors, plus a given number of years (typically 50 to 70). You can check this page for copyright terms concerning works published for the first time after the author's death, works published in non-printed form (like audiovisual creations) and other special cases. Once the copyright term expires, the work becomes public domain, and therefore can be freely used by anyone.