Publication: Autorių teisių ir sui generis teisių į duomenų bazes subjektai
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Date
2009
Authors
Birštonas, Ramūnas
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Abstract
Straipsnyje analizuojamos dvi problemos, susijusios su teisių į duomenų bazes subjektais. Pirma, kadangi duomenų bazė gali būti saugoma tiek autorių teisių, tiek sui generis teisių, atitinkamai reikia nustatyti, kurie asmenys gali būti laikomi nurodytų išimtinių teisių subjektais. Iš straipsnyje nagrinėjamo teisinio reglamentavimo ir teismų praktikos analizės matyti, kad atsakymas į šį klausimą anaiptol nėra akivaizdus ir praktikoje sukelia daug ginčų. Antra, kadangi autorių teisės ir sui generis teisės yra tarpusavyje nepriklausomos, bet gali atsirasti tos pačios duomenų bazės pagrindu, gali nutikti, kad abiejų išimtinių teisių subjektais bus skirtingi asmenys. Tokiu atveju reikia atsakyti į klausimą, kaip suderinti abiejų teisių subjektų interesus.
Meanwhile, in accordance with the 1996 Directive and the Law on Copyright and Related Rights, the sui generis right belongs to the maker of a database, which means a person who is considered to have applied the most initiative and investment in creating the database. The author of the article assumes that such discrepancy in the regulation with respect of the primary owners of copyright and sui generis right is determined by different theoretic foundations of the relevant laws. This gives rise to the second problem examined in the article: as the copyright and the sui generis right, though mutually independent but may arise to the same database, there is a possibility that the owners of both rights may turn to be different persons. Such an eventuality, therefore, will require reconciliation of possibly opposing interests. The author of the article draws a conclusion that the limitations applied to both the copyright and the sui generis right are not adequate in order to reconcile the conflicting interests of the holders of those rights if the database concerned is intended for commercial use. A possible solution for a court in hearing a dispute would be to resort to the general provision that prohibits the abuse of rights, though this approach would not eliminate the legal uncertainty as any abuse of rights is necessary to be proved. Therefore, a conclusion is drawn that it is vitally important for a person who is intending to use a database to conclude a proper agreement that would entitle him to both the copyright and the sui generis right.
Meanwhile, in accordance with the 1996 Directive and the Law on Copyright and Related Rights, the sui generis right belongs to the maker of a database, which means a person who is considered to have applied the most initiative and investment in creating the database. The author of the article assumes that such discrepancy in the regulation with respect of the primary owners of copyright and sui generis right is determined by different theoretic foundations of the relevant laws. This gives rise to the second problem examined in the article: as the copyright and the sui generis right, though mutually independent but may arise to the same database, there is a possibility that the owners of both rights may turn to be different persons. Such an eventuality, therefore, will require reconciliation of possibly opposing interests. The author of the article draws a conclusion that the limitations applied to both the copyright and the sui generis right are not adequate in order to reconcile the conflicting interests of the holders of those rights if the database concerned is intended for commercial use. A possible solution for a court in hearing a dispute would be to resort to the general provision that prohibits the abuse of rights, though this approach would not eliminate the legal uncertainty as any abuse of rights is necessary to be proved. Therefore, a conclusion is drawn that it is vitally important for a person who is intending to use a database to conclude a proper agreement that would entitle him to both the copyright and the sui generis right.
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Keywords
Civilinė teisė, Duomenų bazės, Autorių teisės, Civil law, Database, Owner of copyright