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Guidance

UK copyright protection for foreign works and nationals

This guidance sets out how foreign works and nationals are protected under UK copyright law.

Updates to this page

From:
Intellectual Property Office
Published:
6 April 2017
Last updated:
13 November 2024
Show all updates

  1. Guidance amended due to legislative changes coming into force from 15 December 2024.

  2. Guidance UK copyright protection for foreign works and nationals updated.

  3. Spreadsheet updated to reflect the protection enjoyed by copyright works and performances of each country added.

  4. Guidance amended due to the Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2021 coming into force from 01 December 2021.

  5. Guidance amended due to the Copyright and Performances (Application to Other Countries) (Amendment) Order 2021 coming into force from 26 June 2021.

  6. The IPO's guidance has been updated to remove references to the EU and EEA and to clarify how UK law protects each category of work and performance from other countries.

  7. First published.

Documents

UK copyright protection for foreign works and nationals

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The UK`s international treaty obligations on copyright require the UK to protect foreign works and performances. The level of protection varies depending on the country of origin of a work or performance.

This guidance page sets out an overview of protection for each type of copyright work and performance. The spreadsheet sets out the protection enjoyed by copyright works and performances of each country. Users and owners of foreign works and performances can use this to check if they are protected in the UK.

These documents are not legal advice and are not intended to be definitive or comprehensive. You will need to consider the relevant legislation for a definitive understanding of copyright protection.

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