Home › Intellectual Property › UrhG (EN)

UrhG (EN) In force since 30 June 1995

Act on Copyright and Related Rights
UrhG-EN · official text on Gesetze im Internet — official English translation

🇩🇪 Auf Deutsch lesen (original text)

This is the German Federal Ministry of Justice's own official English translation, by Ute Reusch. The German original linked above is the legally authoritative text.

Sections

Part 1 Copyright

Division 1 General

• Section 1 — General

Division 2 Works

• Section 2 — Protected works
• Section 3 — Adaptations
• Section 4 — Collections and database works
• Section 5 — Official works
• Section 6 — Published works and released works

Division 3 Authors

• Section 7 — Author
• Section 8 — Joint authors
• Section 9 — Authors of compound works
• Section 10 — Presumption of authorship or ownership

Division 4 Scope of copyright

• Section 11 — General
• Section 12 — Right of publication
• Section 13 — Recognition of authorship
• Section 14 — Distortion of work
• Section 15 — General
• Section 16 — Right of reproduction
• Section 17 — Right of distribution
• Section 18 — Right of exhibition
• Section 19 — Right of recitation, performance and presentation
• Section 19a — Right of making works available to public
• Section 20 — Right of broadcasting
• Section 20a — European broadcasts transmitted by satellite
• Section 20b — Retransmission
• Section 20c — European additional online service
• Section 20d — Direct injection
• Section 21 — Right of communication by video or audio recordings
• Section 22 — Right of communication of broadcasts and of works made available to public
• Section 23 — Adaptations and transformations
• Section 24 — (repealed)
• Section 25 — Access to copies of works
• Section 26 — Right of resale
• Section 27 — Remuneration for rental and lending

Division 5 Dealings in rights in copyright

• Section 28 — Inheritance of copyright
• Section 29 — Transfer of copyright
• Section 30 — Author’s successor in title
• Section 31 — Grant of rights of use
• Section 31a — Contracts concerning unknown types of use
• Section 32 — Equitable remuneration
• Section 32a — Author’s further participation
• Section 32b — Compulsory application
• Section 32c — Remuneration for types of use which subsequently become known
• Section 32d — Provision of information by and accountability of contracting party
• Section 32e — Provision of information by and accountability of third parties in licence chain
• Section 32f — Mediation and out-of-court dispute resolution
• Section 32g — Representation by associations
• Section 33 — Continuing effect of rights of use
• Section 34 — Transfer of rights of use
• Section 35 — Grant of further rights of use
• Section 35a — Mediation and out-of-court dispute resolution in relation to video-on-demand services
• Section 36 — Joint remuneration agreements
• Section 36a — Arbitration board
• Section 36b — Injunctive relief following breach of joint remuneration agreement
• Section 36c — Individual consequences of breach of joint remuneration agreement
• Section 36d — Injunctive relief following failure to provide information
• Section 37 — Agreements to grant rights of use
• Section 38 — Contributions to collections
• Section 39 — Alterations of work
• Section 40 — Agreements as to future works
• Section 40a — Right to other exploitation after 10 years in case of flat-rate remuneration
• Section 41 — Right of revocation for non-exercise
• Section 42 — Right of revocation for changed conviction
• Section 42a — Compulsory licence for production of audio recordings
• Section 43 — Authors in employment or service
• Section 44 — Sale of original of work

Division 6 Limitations on copyright through uses permitted by law

• Section 44a — Temporary acts of reproduction
• Section 44b — Text and data mining
• Section 45 — Administration of justice and public security
• Section 45a — Persons with disabilities
• Section 45b — Persons with visual impairment or reading disability
• Section 45c — Authorised entities; remuneration; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
• Section 45d — Use permitted by law and contractually authorised use
• Section 46 — Collections for religious use
• Section 47 — School broadcasts
• Section 48 — Public speeches
• Section 49 — Newspaper articles and broadcast commentaries
• Section 50 — Reporting on current events
• Section 51 — Quotations
• Section 51a — Caricature, parody and pastiche
• Section 52 — Communication to public
• Section 53 — Reproduction for private and other personal uses
• Section 53a — (repealed)
• Section 54 — Obligation to pay remuneration
• Section 54a — Amount of remuneration
• Section 54b — Trader’s or importer’s obligation to pay remuneration
• Section 54c — Obligation incumbent on operator of photocopiers to pay remuneration
• Section 54d — Obligation to make reference
• Section 54e — Obligation to report
• Section 54f — Obligation to provide information
• Section 54g — Inspection
• Section 54h — Collecting societies; handling of reports
• Section 55 — Reproduction by broadcasting organisations
• Section 55a — Use of database work
• Section 56 — Reproduction and communication to public in commercial enterprises
• Section 57 — Incidental works
• Section 58 — Advertising exhibition and public sale of works
• Section 59 — Works in public places
• Section 60 — Portraits
• Section 60a — Teaching in educational establishments
• Section 60b — Media collections for teaching
• Section 60c — Scientific research
• Section 60d — Text and data mining for scientific research purposes
• Section 60e — Libraries
• Section 60f — Archives, museums and educational establishments
• Section 60g — Use permitted by law and contractually authorised use
• Section 60h — Equitable remuneration for uses permitted by law
• Section 61 — Orphan works
• Section 61a — Diligent search and documentation obligations
• Section 61b — Termination of use and obligation to pay remuneration
• Section 61c — Use of orphan works by public broadcasting organisations
• Section 61d — Unavailable works
• Section 61e — Authorisation to issue statutory instruments
• Section 61f — Information about unavailable works
• Section 61g — Use permitted by law and contractually authorised use
• Section 62 — Prohibition of alteration
• Section 63 — Acknowledgement of source
• Section 63a — Statutory remuneration rights

Division 7 Duration of copyright

• Section 64 — General
• Section 65 — Joint authors, cinematographic works, musical compositions with text
• Section 66 — Anonymous and pseudonymous works
• Section 67 — Serial works
• Section 68 — Reproductions of works of visual arts in public domain
• Section 69 — Calculation of time limits

Division 8 Special provisions on computer programs

• Section 69a — Object of protection
• Section 69b — Authors in employment or service relationships
• Section 69c — Restricted acts
• Section 69d — Exceptions to restricted acts
• Section 69e — Decompilation
• Section 69f — Infringement of rights; supplementary protective provisions
• Section 69g — Application of other legal provisions; law of contract

Part 2 Related rights

Division 1 Protection of certain editions

• Section 70 — Scientific editions
• Section 71 — Posthumous works

Division 2 Protection of photographs

• Section 72 — Photographs

Division 3 Protection of performers

• Section 73 — Performers
• Section 74 — Recognition as performer
• Section 75 — Derogatory treatment of performance
• Section 76 — Duration of moral rights
• Section 77 — Recording, reproduction and distribution
• Section 78 — Communication to public
• Section 79 — Rights of use
• Section 79a — Performers’ entitlement to remuneration
• Section 79b — Performers’ remuneration for types of use which become subsequently known
• Section 80 — Work performed jointly by several performers
• Section 81 — Protection of organisers
• Section 82 — Duration of exploitation rights
• Section 83 — Limitations of exploitation rights
• Section 84

Division 4 Protection of producers of audio recordings

• Section 85 — Exploitation rights
• Section 86 — Right of participation

Division 5 Protection of broadcasting organisations

• Section 87 — Broadcasting organisations

Division 6 Protection of makers of database

• Section 87a — Definitions
• Section 87b — Rights of makers of database
• Section 87c — Limitations on rights of makers of database
• Section 87d — Duration of rights
• Section 87e — Contracts concerning use of database

Division 7 Protection of publishers of press publications

• Section 87f — Definitions
• Section 87g — Rights of publishers of press publications
• Section 87h — Exercise of rights of publishers of press publications
• Section 87i — Presumption of ownership; uses permitted by law
• Section 87j — Duration of rights of publishers of press publications
• Section 87k — Right of participation

Part 3 Special provisions on films

Division 1 Cinematographic works

• Section 88 — Right to make film
• Section 89 — Rights in cinematographic works
• Section 90 — Limitation of rights
• Section 91
• Section 92 — Performers
• Section 93 — Protection against distortion; claim to identification
• Section 94 — Protection of producers of films

Division 2 Moving pictures

• Section 95 — Moving pictures

Part 4 Common provisions on copyright and related rights

Division 1 Supplementary protective provisions

• Section 95a — Protection of technical measures
• Section 95b — Measures in respect of limitations
• Section 95c — Protection of rights management information
• Section 95d — Labelling obligations
• Section 96 — Prohibition of exploitation

Division 2 Infringements

• Section 97 — Right to require cessation of infringement and to damages
• Section 97a — Notification
• Section 98 — Claim to destruction, recall and release of copies
• Section 99 — Liability of owner of enterprise
• Section 100 — Pecuniary compensation
• Section 101 — Right of information
• Section 101a — Entitlement to presentation and inspection
• Section 101b — Securing claims for damages
• Section 102 — Limitation period
• Section 102a — Entitlements resulting from other statutory provisions
• Section 103 — Publication of judgment
• Section 104 — Legal recourse
• Section 104a — Place of jurisdiction
• Section 105 — Courts for copyright litigation
• Section 106 — Unlawful exploitation of copyrighted works
• Section 107 — Unlawful affixing of designation of authorship
• Section 108 — Infringement of related rights
• Section 108a — Commercial unlawful exploitation
• Section 108b — Infringement of technical measures and rights management information
• Section 109 — Application for criminal prosecution
• Section 110 — Confiscation
• Section 111 — Publication of judgement
• Section 111a — Regulatory fine provisions
• Section 111b — Proceedings under German law
• Section 111c — Proceedings pursuant to Regulation (EU) No 608/2013

Division 3 Compulsory enforcement

• Section 112 — General
• Section 113 — Copyright
• Section 114 — Originals of works
• Section 115 — Copyright
• Section 116 — Originals of works
• Section 117 — Executor
• Section 118 — Analogous application
• Section 119 — Compulsory enforcement in respect of certain devices

Part 5 Scope of application, transitional and final provisions

Division 1 Scope of Act

• Section 120 — German nationals and nationals of other EU Member States or Contracting Parties of Agreement on EEA
• Section 121 — Foreign nationals
• Section 122 — Stateless persons
• Section 123 — Foreign refugees
• Section 124 — Scientific editions and photographs
• Section 125 — Protection of performers
• Section 126 — Protection of producers of audio recordings
• Section 127 — Protection of broadcasting organisations
• Section 127a — Protection of makers of database
• Section 127b — Protection of publishers of press publications
• Section 128 — Protection of producers of films

Division 2 Transitional provisions

• Section 129 — Works
• Section 130 — Translations
• Section 131 — Literary works set to music
• Section 132 — Contracts
• Section 133 — Transitional provision in implementation of contract law provisions in Directive (EU) 2019/790
• Section 134 — Authors
• Section 135 — Holders of related rights
• Section 135a — Calculation of term of protection
• Section 136 — Reproduction and distribution
• Section 137 — Transfer of rights
• Section 137a — Photographic works
• Section 137b — Certain editions
• Section 137c — Performers
• Section 137d — Computer programs
• Section 137e — Transitional provisions in implementation of Council Directive 92/100/EEC
• Section 137f — Transitional provisions in implementation of Council Directive 93/98/EEC
• Section 137g — Transitional provisions in implementation of Directive 96/9/EC
• Section 137h — Transitional provisions in implementation of Council Directive 93/83/EEC
• Section 137i — Transitional provisions regarding Act to Modernise the Law of Obligations (Gesetz zur Modernisierung des Schuldrechts)
• Section 137j — Transitional provisions occasioned by implementation of Directive 2001/29/EC
• Section 137k
• Section 137l — Transitional provisions for new types of use
• Section 137m — Transitional provision occasioned by implementation of Directive 2011/77/EU
• Section 137n — Transitional provision occasioned by implementation of Directive 2012/28/EU
• Section 137o — Transitional provision regarding Act to Align Copyright Law with the Current Demands of the Knowledge-based Society (Urheberrechts-​Wissensgesellschafts-​Gesetz)
• Section 137p — Transitional provision occasioned by implementation of Directive (EU) 2019/789
• Section 137q — Transitional provision on publishers’ participation
• Section 137r — Transitional provision on protection of publishers of press publications

Division 3 Final provisions

• Section 138 — Register of anonymous and pseudonymous works
• Section 138a — Data protection
• Section 139 — Amendment to Code of Criminal Procedure
• Section 140 — Amendment to Act concerning Universal Copyright Convention of 6 September 1952 (Gesetz über das am 6. September 1952 unterzeichnete Welturheberrechtsabkommen)
• Section 141 — Repealed provisions
• Section 142 — Evaluation
• Section 143 — Entry into force