On the 16th of October 2014, the European Commission requested that Cyprus and Luxembourg fully implement Directive 2011/77/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 September 2011 amending Directive 2006/116/EC on the term of protection of copyright and certain related rights. The Directive extends the term of protection for performers and sound recordings from 50 to 70 years and contains accompanying measures, e.g. the “use it or lose it” clauses which now have to be included in the contracts linking performers to their record companies.
The deadline for the implementation of the Directive in national law was 1 November 2013. However, Luxembourg and Cyprus have so far not notified implementing measures to the Commission. The Commission’s request takes the form of a reasoned opinion, the second stage of the EU infringement procedures.
If the measures to fully enact Directive 2011/77/EU are not notified within two months, the Commission may decide to refer Luxembourg and Cyprus to the EU Court of Justice.
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Theodorou Law is a Cyprus law firm with Cyprus lawyers and other legal experts on legal matters involving Cyprus law, EU law and international law. The above should be used as a source of general information only. It is not intended to give a definitive statement of the law.
