Beyond the basics

Audio-visual works, such as films, musical works and sound recordings, are protected as copyrights.

Along with the right to exploit the work in the Republic of Cyprus, copyright over scientific, literary, musical or artistic work (including photographs) and films, provides to the creator the so-called “moral right”. This right includes the creator’s right, for their entire lifetime, to pursue the authorship of the work and to object to any distortion, mutilation or other modification of the work, that would detract the honour or reputation of the creator.

Computer programs, as well as their preparatory design material, are protected as literary works provided that they are personal intellectual creations of their creator and not a copy of an existing program.

Copyright over a computer program comprises of the exclusive right, in the Republic of Cyprus, of:

• the permanent or temporary reproduction of the whole or part of the computer program, by any means and form, including the reproduction required for loading, appearing on screen, execution, transfer or storage thereof;
• the translation, adjustment or any other conversion of the computer program and reproduction of its results;
• the distribution to the public in any form, including the leasing of the original computer program or copies thereof.

The creator of a database, which is original, has the exclusive right to exploit it, as follows:

• the temporary or permanent reproduction of the whole or part thereof, by any means and form;
• the translation, adjustment, and any other modification thereof;
• its distribution or of copies thereof to the public;
• the announcement, display or presentation thereof to the public;
• the reproduction, distribution, announcement, display or presentation to the public of the results of any modification thereof.