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1. 40 Articles adopted and promulgated in full on 14
May 1928 by Order No. 212 of the National Government.
2. 37 Articles amended and promulgated in full on 27 April 1944 by Order
Yu-Wen-Zih No. 251 of the National Government.
3. Articles 30, 31, 32, 33, and 34 amended and promulgated by Presidential
order on 13 January 1949.
4. Articles 30, 31, 32, 36, and 41 newly adopted by Presidential order
on 10 July 1964; original Articles 22-29 became Articles 23-30; original
Articles 30-32 became Articles 33-35; original Articles 33-36 became Articles
37-40; original Article37 became Article 42; and Articles 25, 26, 33,
35, 37-40 amended.
5. 52 Articles amended and promulgated in full on 10 July 1985 by Presidential
Order No. (74) Hua-Zong-(1)-Yi-Zih 3318.
6. Articles 50-51 newly adopted and promulgated and Articles 3, 28 and
39 amended and promulgated on 24 January 1990 by Presidential Order No.
(79) Hua-Zong-(1)-Yi-Zih 0427.
7. 117 Articles amended and promulgated in full on 10 June 1992 by Presidential
Order No. (81) Hua-Zong-(1)-Yi-Zih 2805.
8. Article 53 amended and promulgated on 6 July 1992 by Presidential
Order No. (81) Hua-Zong-(1)-Yi-Zih 3285.
9. Article 87 amended and promulgated and Article 87-1 newly adopted
and promulgated on 24 April 1993 by Presidential Order No. (82) Hua-Zong-(1)-Yi-Zih
1841.
10. 117 Articles amended and promulgated in full on 21 January 1988 by
Presidential Order No. (87) Hua-Zong-(1)-Yi-Zih 87000126405.
11. Articles 2, 34, 37, 71, 81, 82, and 90-1 amended and promulgated
on 12 November 2001 by Presidential Order No. (81) Hua-Zong-(1)-Yi-Zih
2805.
12. Articles 26bis, 28bis, 59bis, Chapter IVbis (chapter name), 80bis,
82bis to 82quinquies, 90quater, 91bis, 96bis, 96ter, and 98bis newly adopted
and promulgated, and Articles 2, 3, 7bis, 22, 24, 26, 29, 37, 49, 50,
53, 56, 56bis, 60, 61, 63, 65, 69, 79, 82, 87, 88, 91 to 95, 98, 100 to
102, 105, 106, 106ter, 106quater, 111, 113, 115bis, 115ter, and 117 amended
and promulgated, on 9 July 2003 by Presidential Order No. (92) Hua-Zong-(1)-Yi-Zih
09200122700.
13., Article 80-2 of the Copyright Act newly adopted and promulgated
and Articles 3, 22, 26, title of Chapter 4-1, Articles 82, 87, 90-1, 90-3,
91, 91-1, 92, 93, and 96-1 thereof amended and promulgated on 1 September
2004 by Presidential Order No. (93) Hua-Zong-(1)-Yi-Zih 09300158591.
14. Article 94 of the Copyright Act deleted and promulgated and Articles
98, 99 through 102, and 117 thereof amended and promulgated on 30 May
2006 by Presidential Order No. (95) Hua-Zong-(1)-Yi-Zih 09500075761.
15.Article 97bis newly adopted and promulgated and Articles 87, 93 amended
and promulgated on 11 July 2007 by Presidential Order No. (96) Hua-Zong-(1)-Yi-Zih
09600088051
Chapter I
General Principles
Article 1
This Act is specifically enacted for the purposes of protecting the rights
and interests of authors with respect to their works, balancing different
interests for the common good of society, and promoting the development
of national culture. Matters not provided for herein shall be governed
by the provisions of other acts.
Article 2
The competent authority under this Act is the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs shall appoint a specialized agency in
charge of copyright matters.
Article 3
For the purposes of this Act the following definitions shall apply:
1. "Work" means a creation that is within a literary, scientific,
artistic, or other intellectual domain.
2. "Author" means a person who creates a work.
3. "Copyright" means the moral rights and economic rights subsisting
in a completed work.
4. "The public" or "a public" means unspecified persons
or multiple specified persons; provided, this does not apply to multiple
persons of a household and the household's normal social acquaintances.
5. "Reproduce" means to reproduce directly, indirectly, permanently,
or temporarily a work by means of printing, reprography, sound recording,
video recording, photography, handwritten notes, or otherwise. This definition
also applies to the sound recording or video recording of scripts, musical
works, or works of similar nature during their performance or broadcast,
and also includes the construction of an architectural structure based
on architectural plans or models.
6. "Public recitation" means to communicate the content of
a work to the public by spoken words or other means.
7. "Public broadcast" means to communicate to the public the
content of a work through sounds or images by means of transmission of
information by a broadcasting system of wire, wireless, or other equipment,
where such communication is for the purpose of direct listening reception
or viewing reception by the public. This includes any communication, by
transmission of information via a broadcasting system of wire, wireless,
or other equipment, to the public of an original broadcast of sounds or
images by any person other than the original broadcaster.
8. "Public presentation" means to use single- or multiple-unit
audiovisual devices, or other methods of transmitting images, to simultaneously
communicate the content of a work to the public at the place of transmission
or at a specified place outside the place of transmission.
9. "Public performance" means to act, dance, sing, play a musical
instrument, or use other means to communicate the content of a work to
a public that is present at the scene. This includes any communication
to the public of an original broadcast of sounds or images through loudspeakers
or other equipment.
10. "Public transmission" means to make available or communicate
to the public the content of a work through sounds or images by wire or
wireless network, or through other means of communication, including enabling
the public to receive the content of such work by any of the above means
at a time or place individually chosen by them.
11. "Adaptation" means to create another work based upon a
pre-existing work by translation, musical arrangement, revision, filming,
or other means.
12. "Distribution" means, with or without compensation, to
provide the original of a work, or a copy thereof, to the public for the
purpose of trade or circulation.
13. "Public display" means to display the content of a work
to the public.
14. "Publication" means distribution by the rights holder of
a sufficient number of copies of a work to satisfy a reasonable level
of public demand.
15. "Public release" means public issue by the rights holder
of the content of a work to the public through publication, broadcast,
presentation, recitation, performance, display, or other means.
16. "The original" or "an original" means the object
to which a work is first fixed.
17. "Electronic rights management information" means electronic
information presented on the original or copies of a work, or at the time
of communication of content of a work to the public, sufficient to identify
the work, the name of the work, the author, the economic rights holder
or person licensed thereby, and the period or conditions of exploitation
of the work, including numbers or symbols that represent such information.
18. "Technological protection measures" means equipment, devices,
components, technology or other technological means employed by copyright
owners to effectively prohibit or restrict others from accessing or exploiting
works without authorization.
"Place of transmission or at a specified place outside the place
of transmission" as referred to in subparagraph 8 of the preceding
paragraph includes motion picture cinemas, clubs, places where videocassetes
or videodiscs are presented, hotel rooms, public transportation vehicles,
or other places that may be accessed by unspecified persons.
Article 4
Works of foreign nationals that comply with one of the following conditions
may enjoy copyright under this Act; provided, where the terms of a treaty
or an agreement that has been ratified by resolution of the Legislative
Yuan provide otherwise, such terms shall govern:
1. Works that are first published in the territory under the jurisdiction
of the Republic of China, or are published in the territory under the
jurisdiction of the Republic China within thirty days after their first
publication in territory outside the jurisdiction of the Republic China;
provided, this shall only apply where the country of such foreign national
extends protection under identical circumstances to the works of persons
of the Republic of China, and such protection has been verified.
2. Where by treaty or agreement, or under the domestic acts, regulations,
or standard practice of the home country of the foreign national, works
of persons of the Republic of China enjoy copyright in such country.
Chapter II Works
Article 5
For the purposes of this act, "works" shall include the following:
1. Oral and literary works.
2. Musical works.
3. Dramatic and choreographic works.
4. Artistic works.
5. Photographic works.
6. Pictorial and graphical works.
7. Audiovisual works.
8. Sound recordings.
9. Architectural works.
10. Computer programs.
The examples and content of each category of works set forth in the preceding
paragraph shall be prescribed by the competent authority.
Article 6
A creation adapted from one or more pre-existing works is a derivative
work and shall be protected as an independent work.
Protection of a derivative work shall not affect the copyright in the
pre-existing work.
Article 7
A compilation work is a work formed by the creative selection and arrangement
of materials, and shall be protected as an independent work.
Protection of a compilation work shall not affect the copyright in the
work from which the material was selected and arranged.
Article 7bis
A performance by a performer of a pre-existing work or folklore shall
be protected as an independent work.
Protection of a performance shall not affect the copyright in the pre-existing
work.
Article 8
A joint work is a work that has been completed by two or more persons
where the creation of each person cannot be separately exploited.
Article 9
The following items shall not be the subject matter of copyright:
1. The constitution, acts, regulations, or official documents.
2. Translations or compilations by central or local government agencies
of works referred to in the preceding subparagraph.
3. Slogans and common symbols, terms, formulas, numerical charts, forms,
notebooks, or almanacs.
4. Oral and literary works for news reports that are intended strictly
to communicate facts.
5. Test questions and alternative test questions from all kinds of examinations
held pursuant to acts or regulations.
The term "official documents" in the first subparagraph of
the preceding paragraph includes proclamations, text of speeches, news
releases, and other documents prepared by civil servants in the course
of carrying out their duties.
Chapter III Authors and Copyright
Section 1 General Provisions
Article 10
The author of a work shall enjoy copyright upon completion of the work;
provided, where this Act provides otherwise, such provisions shall govern.
Article 10bis
Protection for copyright that has been obtained in accordance with this
Act shall only extend to the expression of the work in question, and shall
not extend to the work's underlying ideas, procedures, production processes,
systems, methods of operation, concepts, principles, or discoveries.
Section 2 Authors
Article 11
Where a work is completed by an employee within the scope of employment,
such employee is the author of the work; provided, where an agreement
stipulates that the employer is the author, such agreement shall govern.
Where the employee is the author of a work pursuant to the provisions
of the preceding paragraph, the economic rights to such work shall be
enjoyed by the employer; provided, where an agreement stipulates that
the economic rights shall be enjoyed by the employee, such agreement shall
govern.
The term "employee" in the preceding two paragraphs includes
civil servants.
Article 12
Where a work is completed by a person under commission, except in the
circumstances set out in the preceding article, such commissioned person
is the author of the work; provided, where an agreement stipulates that
the commissioning party is the author, such agreement shall govern.
Where the commissioned person is the author pursuant to the provisions
of the preceding paragraph, enjoyment of the economic rights to such work
shall be assigned through contractual stipulation to either the commissioning
party or the commissioned person. Where no stipulation regarding the enjoyment
of economic rights has been made, the economic rights shall be enjoyed
by the commissioned person.
Where the economic rights are enjoyed by the commissioned person pursuant
to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the commissioning party
may exploit the work.
Article 13
Where a person's name or a pseudonym familiar to the public is represented
in a normal way as the author on the original of a work, or on a published
copy of the work, or in connection with a public release of a work, the
person shall be presumed to be the author of the work.
The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall apply mutatis mutandis
to presumptions concerning the date and place of publication of a work
as well as the ownership of economic rights therein.
Article 14
(deleted)
Section 3 Moral Rights
Article 15
The author of a work shall enjoy the right to publicly release the work;
provided, this shall not apply to a civil servant where, pursuant to the
provisions of Article 11 or 12, such person is the author while the juristic
person employing such author enjoys the economic rights to the work.
In the following circumstances the author shall be presumed to have consented
to the public release of the work:
1. Where, prior to publicly releasing its work, the author has transferred,
or licensed to exploit, the economic rights to the work, and the work
is publicly released as a consequence of the exercise or exploitation
of the economic rights.
2. Where, prior to the public release of a artistic work or a photographic
work, the author transfers the original or a copy of such work to another
party and the transferee publicly displays the original or copy of the
work.
3. Where the work is a Masters thesis or doctoral dissertation written
under the "Degree Conferral Act" and the author has obtained
a degree.
Where, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 11
or paragraph 2 of Article 12, an employer or a commissioning party, ab
initio, obtained economic rights to a work that has never been publicly
released, and where such work is publicly released in conjunction with
the transfer, exercise, or exploitation of the economic rights of such
work, the author shall be deemed to have consented to the public release
of the work.
The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall apply mutatis mutandis
to paragraph 3 of Article 12.
Article 16
The author of a work shall have the right to indicate its name, a pseudonym,
or no name on the original or copies of the work, or when the work is
publicly released. The author has the same right to a derivative work
based on its work.
The proviso in the first paragraph of the preceding article shall apply
mutatis mutandis to the preceding paragraph.
The person exploiting a work may use its own cover design and may add
the name or appellation of the designer or editor-in-chief; provided this
shall not apply where the author has specifically indicated to the contrary,
or where the addition would deviate from commonly accepted practices.
Where the purpose and method of exploitation neither present any likelihood
of harm to the author's interests nor deviate from commonly accepted practices,
the author's name or appellation may be omitted.
Article 17
The author has the right to prohibit others from distorting, mutilating,
modifying, or otherwise changing the content, form, or name of the work,
thereby damaging the author's reputation.
Article 18
The protection of moral rights of an author who has died or been extinguished
shall be deemed to be the same as when the author was living or in existence
and shall not be infringed upon by any person; provided, the act shall
not constitute an infringement where it can be considered that the author's
intent has not been contravened given the nature and degree of the act
of exploitation, social changes, or other circumstances.
Article 19
Moral rights in a joint work may not be exercised without the consent
of all the joint authors. A joint author shall not refuse consent without
a legitimate reason.
Authors of a joint work may select an author from among the joint authors
to be their representative for the purpose of exercising moral rights.
Limitations imposed on the representative powers of the representative
referred to in the preceding paragraph shall not be effective against
a third party acting in good faith.
Article 20
The original of a work that has not been publicly released and the economic
rights therein shall not be the object of compulsory execution unless
they are the object of a trade or the principal has given its consent.
Article 21
Moral rights belong exclusively to the author and shall not be transferred
or succeeded.
Section 4 Economic Rights
Subsection 1 Categories of Economic Rights
Article 22
Except as otherwise provided in this Act, authors have the exclusive
right to reproduce their works.
Performers have the exclusive right to reproduce their performances by
means of sound recording, video recording, or photography.
The provisions of the preceding two paragraphs do not apply to temporary
reproduction that is transient, incidental, an essential part of a technology
process, and without independent economic significance, where solely for
the purpose of lawful network relay transmission, or for the lawful use
of a work; provided, this shall not apply to computer programs.
In the preceding paragraph, the phrase "temporary reproduction…
for the purpose of lawful network relay transmission" includes technically
unavoidable phenomena of the computer or machine occurring in network
browsing, caching, or other processes for enhancing transmission efficiency.
Article 23
Authors of oral and literary works have the exclusive right to publicly
recite their works.
Article 24
Except as otherwise provided in this Act, authors have the exclusive
right to publicly broadcast their works.
The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall not apply to further
public broadcasts of a performance after that performance has been reproduced
or publicly broadcast.
Article 25
Authors of audiovisual works have the exclusive right to publicly present
their works.
Article 26
Except as otherwise provided in this Act, authors of oral and literary,
musical, and dramatic/choreographic works have the exclusive right to
publicly perform their works.
Performers have the exclusive right, by means of loudspeakers or other
equipment, to publicly perform their performances; provided, this shall
not apply to public performances of a performance by means of loudspeakers
or other equipment after that performance has been reproduced or publicly
broadcast.
Where a sound recording has been publicly performed, the author may claim
payment of remuneration for use from the persons who publicly performed
it.
Article 26bis
Except as otherwise provided in this Act, authors of works have the exclusive
right of public transmission of their works.
Performers have the exclusive right of public transmission of their performances
reproduced in sound recordings.
Article 27
Authors of unpublished fine arts or photographic works have the exclusive
right to publicly display the original and copies of their works.
Article 28
Authors of works have the exclusive right to adapt their works into derivative
works or to compile their works into compilation works; provided, this
shall not apply to performances.
Article 28bis
Except as otherwise provided in this Act, authors of works have the exclusive
right to distribute their works through transfer of ownership.
Performers have the exclusive right to distribute their performances
reproduced in sound recordings through transfer of ownership.
Article 29
Except as otherwise provided in this Act, authors of works have the exclusive
right to rent their works.
Performers have the exclusive right to rent their performances reproduced
in sound recordings.
Article 29bis
An employer or commissioning party that has obtained the economic rights
in a work in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article
11 or paragraph 2 of Article 12 shall have exclusive enjoyment of the
rights set out in the provisions of Articles 22 through 29.
Subsection 2 Term of Protection for Economic Rights
Article 30
Except as otherwise provided in this Act, economic rights endure for
the life of the author and fifty years after the author's death.
Where a work is first publicly released between the fortieth and fiftieth
years after the author's death, the economic rights shall endure for a
term of ten years beginning from the time of the first public release.
Article 31
Economic rights in a joint work subsist for fifty years after the death
of the last surviving author.
Article 32
Economic rights in a pseudonymous work or an anonymous work endure for
fifty years from the time of public release; provided, the economic rights
shall be extinguished where it can be proven that the author has been
deceased for over fifty years.
The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall not apply when the pseudonym
of the author is well known to the public.
Article 33
Economic rights in works authored by a juristic person endure for fifty
years after the public release of the work; provided, if the work is not
publicly released within fifty years from the completion of the creation,
the economic rights shall subsist for fifty years after completion of
the creation.
Article 34
Economic rights for photographic works, audiovisual works, sound recordings,
and performances endure for fifty years after the public release of the
work.
The proviso of the preceding article shall apply mutatis mutandis to
the preceding paragraph.
Article 35
All terms of duration specified in Articles 30 through 34 terminate as
of the last day of the last year of the term.
Where the term of economic rights for works released to the public continuously
or successively is calculated on the basis of the date of the public release
of the work, if each public release can constitute an independent work,
the term of economic rights of each work shall be calculated from the
date of each public release; if each public release cannot constitute
an independent work, the term shall be calculated from the date of the
public release(s) that can constitute an independent work.
With respect to the circumstances described in the preceding paragraph,
if the continuing part has not been publicly released within three years
of the date of public release of its preceding part, the term of the economic
rights shall be calculated from the date of public release of its preceding
part.
Subsection 3 Transfer, Exercise, and Extinguishment of Economic Rights
Article 36
Economic rights may be transferred in whole or in part to another person
and may be jointly owned with other persons.
The transferee of economic rights obtains economic rights within the
scope of the transfer.
The scope of the transfer of the economic rights shall be as stipulated
by the parties; rights not clearly covered by such stipulations shall
be presumed to have not been transferred.
Article 37
The economic rights holder may license others to exploit the work. The
territory, term, content, method of exploitation, and other particulars
of the license shall be as stipulated by the parties; particulars not
clearly covered by such stipulations shall be presumed to have not been
licensed.
The license referred to in the preceding paragraph shall not be affected
by subsequent assignment or further licensing of economic rights by the
economic rights holder.
A non-exclusive licensee may not sublicense the rights inherent in the
license to any third party for exploitation without the consent of the
economic rights holder.
An exclusive licensee may, within the scope of the license, exercise
rights in the capacity of economic rights holder, and may perform litigious
acts in its own name. The economic rights holder may not exercise rights
within the scope of an exclusive license.
The provisions of paragraphs 2 through 4 shall not apply to any license
conferred prior to the implementation of the November 12, 2001 amendment
to this Act.
The provisions of Chapter VII shall not apply where musical works are
licensed for reproduction on computer karaoke machines and an exploiter
uses such a karaoke machine to publicly perform the works; provided, this
shall not apply in the case of musical works managed by copyright intermediary
organizations.
Article 38
(deleted)
Article 39
Where economic rights are the object of a pledge, unless otherwise stipulated
at the time the pledge is created, the economic rights holder may exercise
the economic rights to the work.
Article 40
In the case of a joint work, each author's share of the ownership of
such a work shall be as stipulated by the joint authors; where no stipulation
has been made, ownership shares shall be determined according to the degree
of each author's creative contribution. Where the degree of each author's
creative contribution is not clear, it shall be presumed that each author
owns an equal share.
Where an author of a joint work abandons its share of the ownership of
the work, that share shall be apportioned among the other joint authors
in proportion to their respective shares.
The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall apply mutatis mutandis
where the author of a joint work dies with no successor or is extinguished
with no receiver.
Article 40bis
Joint economic rights in a work shall not be exercised except with the
consent of all the joint economic rights holders; no economic rights holder
shall transfer its share to another person or establish a pledge of its
share in favor of a third party without the consent of all other joint
economic rights holders. A joint economic rights holder shall not refuse
consent without a legitimate reason.
The joint economic rights holders of a work may select a representative
from among themselves to exercise their economic rights. Limitations imposed
on the representative powers of such representative shall not be effective
against a third party acting in good faith.
The second and third paragraphs of the preceding article shall apply
mutatis mutandis to joint ownership of economic rights.
Article 41
Where an economic rights holder makes a submission to a newspaper or
magazine, or licenses the public broadcast of the work, it shall be presumed,
unless otherwise stipulated, that the economic rights holder has licensed
one printing or one public broadcast only, and that said printing or broadcast
shall have no effect on other rights belonging to the economic rights
holder.
Article 42
Economic rights are extinguished upon expiration of the term of protection.
Economic rights are also extinguished where any of the following circumstances
occurs during the term of protection:
1. The economic rights holder has died and the economic rights, for that
reason, divest by law to the national treasury.
2. The economic rights holder is a juristic person that has been extinguished
and the economic rights, for that reason, divest by law to a local government.
Article 43
Except as otherwise provided by this Act, any person may freely exploit
a work for which the economic rights have been extinguished.
Subsection 4 Limitations on Economic Rights
Article 44
Within a reasonable scope, central or local government agencies may reproduce
the work of another person if it is considered necessary for internal
reference for the purpose of legislation or administration; provided,
this shall not apply where such reproduction would prejudice the interests
of the economic rights holder due to the type and use of the work and
the volume and method of reproduction.
Article 45
Within a reasonable scope, and for the sole purpose of use necessary
to judicial proceedings, the works of another person may be reproduced.
The proviso of the preceding article shall apply mutatis mutandis to
the circumstances set forth in the preceding paragraph.
Article 46
Within a reasonable scope, and where necessary for the purpose of teaching
in schools, all levels of legally established schools and their teachers
may reproduce the works of another person which have already been publicly
released.
The proviso of Article 44 shall apply mutatis mutandis to the circumstances
set forth in the preceding paragraph.
Article 47
Within a reasonable scope, and for the purpose of preparing pedagogical
texts for which review and approval by an education administrative agency
is required by act or regulation, or where an education administrative
agency prepares pedagogical texts itself, the works of another person
that have been publicly released may be reproduced, adapted, or compiled.
The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall apply mutatis mutandis
to the preparation of supplementary teaching aids which are ancillary
to the aforesaid textbooks and which are exclusively provided to teachers
for teaching purposes; provided, this shall be limited to editing by the
preparer of such textbooks.
Within a reasonable scope and for the purpose of meeting educational
needs, all levels of legally established schools and educational institutions
may publicly broadcast the works of another person that have been publicly
released.
In the circumstances set forth in the preceding three paragraphs the
exploiter of the work shall notify the economic rights holder and pay
compensation for use. The level of compensation shall be set by the competent
authority.
Article 48
Libraries, museums, history museums, science museums, art museums, and
other cultural institutions open to the public may reproduce works in
their collections in any of the following circumstances:
1. Where a patron requests reproduction of a part of a work that has
been publicly released, or a single article from a seminar paper or a
single article from a periodical that has been publicly released, provided
that the copy is for personal research purposes and is limited to one
copy per person.
2. Where necessary to preserve materials.
3. Where the works in question are out of print or difficult to purchase,
and have been requested by another similar institute.
Article 48bis
Central or local government agencies, educational agencies that have
been established by law, or libraries open to the public may reproduce
abstracts appended to the following works where such works have been publicly
released:
1. Masters theses or doctoral dissertations written under the "Degree
Conferral Act," where the author has obtained a degree.
2. Academic papers published in periodicals.
3. Research reports or collections of seminar papers that have been publicly
released.
Article 49
When reporting current events by means of broadcasting, photography,
film, newspaper, network, or otherwise, works that are seen or heard in
the course of the report may be exploited within the scope necessary to
the report.
Article 50
Works publicly released in the name of a central or local government
agency or a public juristic person may, within a reasonable scope, be
reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted.
Article 51
Within a reasonable scope, where for nonprofit use by an individual or
a family, a work that has been publicly released may be reproduced by
a machine that is either located in a library or is not provided for public
use.
Article 52
Within a reasonable scope, works that have been publicly released may
be quoted where necessary for reports, comment, teaching, research, or
other legitimate purposes.
Article 53
Works that have been publicly released may be reproduced in Braille or
with accompanying sign language translation or text for the visually impaired
or the hearing impaired.
For the purpose of promoting the welfare of the visually impaired or
the hearing impaired, legally accredited non-profit institutions or organizations
may, by means of sound recordings, computers, verbal imagery, accompanying
sign language translation, or otherwise, exploit works that have been
publicly released, for exclusive use by the visually impaired or the hearing
impaired.
Article 54
Works that have been publicly released may be reproduced for use in examination
questions on all kinds of examinations held by central or local government
agencies and all levels of schools or educational institutions established
in accordance with law; provided, this shall not apply to works that have
been publicly released as examination questions.
Article 55
The work of another person that has been publicly released may be publicly
recited, publicly broadcast, publicly presented, or publicly performed
in the course of an activity of non-profit nature, provided that no fee
is directly or indirectly collected from the viewers or listeners, and
no compensation is given to the performers.
Article 56
For the purposes of public broadcasting, a radio or television broadcasting
organization may, with its own equipment, sound record or video record
a work; provided, this shall be limited to situations where the public
broadcasting has been licensed by the economic rights holder, or situations
otherwise comporting with the provisions of this Act.
Except where preservation of the recording referred to in the preceding
paragraph has been approved for a designated place by the specialized
agency in charge of copyright matters, such sound or video recordings
shall be destroyed within six months from the time of recording.
Article 56bis
For the purpose of enhancing receiving effect, a community antenna installed
in accordance with law may simultaneously rebroadcast works broadcast
by wireless television stations established in accordance with law; the
form and content of such broadcasts shall not be changed.
Article 57
The owner of the original legal copy of an artistic work or photographic
work, or a person authorized by the owner, may publicly display such original
or legal copy of the work.
The public displayer referred to in the preceding paragraph may reproduce
the work in a descriptive writing in order to provide viewers with an
explanation or introduction.
Article 58
Artistic works or architectural works displayed on a long-term basis
on streets, in parks, on outside walls of buildings, or other outdoor
locales open to the public, may be exploited by any means except under
the following circumstances:
1. Reproduction of a building by construction of another building.
2. Reproduction of a work of sculpture by production of another sculpture.
3. Reproduction for the purpose of long-term public display in locales
specified in this article.
4. Reproduction of artistic works solely for the purpose of selling copies.
Article 59
The owner of a legal copy of a computer program may alter the program
where necessary for utilization on a machine used by such owner, or may
reproduce the program as necessary for backup; provided, this is limited
to the owner's personal use.
If the owner referred to in the preceding paragraph loses ownership of
the original copy for any reason other than the destruction or loss of
the copy, all altered and backup copies shall be destroyed unless the
economic rights holder grants its consent otherwise.
Article 59bis
A person who has obtained ownership of the original of a work or a lawful
copy thereof within the territory under the jurisdiction of the Republic
of China may distribute it by means of transfer of ownership.
Article 60
Owners of originals of works and lawful copies of works may rent such
original works or copies; provided, this shall not apply to sound recordings
and computer programs.
The proviso of the preceding paragraph shall not apply to copies of computer
programs incorporated in products, machinery, or equipment to be legally
rented, where such copies do not constitute the essential object of such
rental.
Article 61
Commentary on current political, economic, or social events that has
appeared in a newspaper, magazine, or network may be republished by other
newspapers or magazines, or be publicly broadcast by radio or television,
or publicly transmitted on a network; provided, this shall not apply where
there is indication that republishing, public broadcast, or public transmission
is not authorized.
Article 62
Public speeches on politics or religion, and public statements made in
legal proceedings or during proceedings of central or local government
agencies, may be exploited by any person; provided, consent of the economic
rights holder shall be obtained when compiling a compilation work that
is dedicated to the speeches or statements of specified persons.
Article 63
Persons that may exploit the work of another person in accordance with
the provisions of Article 44, Article 45, subparagraph one of Article
48, Articles 48bis through 50, Articles 52 through 55, Article 61, and
Article 62 may translate such work.
Persons that may exploit the work of another person in accordance with
the provisions of Articles 46 and 51 may adapt such work.
Persons that may exploit the work of another person in accordance with
the provisions of Articles 46 through 50, Articles 52 through 54, paragraph
2 of Article 57, Article 58, Article 61, and Article 62 may distribute
such work.
Article 64
A person who exploits the work of another person pursuant to the provisions
of Articles 44 through 47, Articles 48bis through 50, Article 52, Article
53, Article 55, Article 57, Article 58, and Articles 60 through 63 shall
provide a clear indication of the source of the work.
The "clear indication of the source" referred to in the preceding
paragraph shall indicate the name or appellation of the author in a reasonable
manner, except where the work is anonymous or the author is not known.
Article 65
Fair use of a work shall not constitute infringement on economic rights
in the work.
In determining whether the exploitation of a work complies with the provisions
of Articles 44 through 63, or other conditions of fair use, all circumstances
shall be taken into account, and in particular the following facts shall
be noted as the basis for determination:
1. The purposes and nature of the exploitation, including whether such
exploitation is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational
purposes.
2. The nature of the work.
3. The amount and substantiality of the portion exploited in relation
to the work as a whole.
4. Effect of the exploitation on the work's current and potential market
value.
Where the copyright owner organization and the exploiter organization
have formed an agreement on the scope of the fair use of a work, it may
be taken as reference in the determination referred to in the preceding
paragraph.
In the course of forming an agreement referred to in the preceding paragraph,
advice may be sought from the specialized agency in charge of copyright
matters.
Article 66
The provisions of Articles 44 through 63 and Article 65 shall not affect
the author's moral rights.
Subsection 5 Compulsory Licensing
Article 67
(deleted)
Article 68
(deleted)
Article 69
Where a sound recording of a musical work recorded for sale has been
published for six months, a person who wishes to exploit the aforementioned
musical work to record and produce other sound recordings for sale may
apply to the specialized agency in charge of copyright matters for a compulsory
license, and after paying compensation, may exploit such musical work
and record and produce other sound recordings.
Regulations governing the compulsory license for a musical work referred
to in the preceding paragraph, the method for calculating the compensation
for exploitation, and other requisite matters shall be prescribed by the
competent authority.
Article 70
Copies of sound recordings which exploit musical works pursuant to the
provisions of the preceding article shall not be sold outside of the territory
under the jurisdiction of the Republic of China.
Article 71
The specialized agency in charge of copyright matters shall void approval
for a compulsory license obtained in accordance with the provisions of
Article 69 if the application is found to contain misrepresentations.
The specialized agency shall void approval for a compulsory license obtained
in accordance with the provisions of Article 69 if the work is not exploited
in the manner approved by the specialized agency.
Article 72
(deleted)
Article 73
(deleted)
Article 74
(deleted)
Article 75
(deleted)
Article 76
(deleted)
Article 77
(deleted)
Article 78
(deleted)
Chapter IV Plate Rights
Article 79
For a literary or artistic work that has no economic rights or for which
the economic rights have been extinguished, a plate maker who arranges
and prints the said literary work, or in the case of an artistic work,
a plate maker who photocopies, prints, or uses a similar method of reproduction
and first publishes such reproduction based on such original artistic
work, and duly records it in accordance with this Act, shall have the
exclusive right to photocopy, print, or use similar methods of reproduction
based on the plate.
The rights of the plate maker shall subsist for ten years from the time
the plate is completed.
The last day of the term of protection referred to in the preceding paragraph
shall be the last day of the last year of such term.
Assignment or placement in trust of plate rights shall not be effective
against third parties unless it has been recorded.
The regulations governing recordation of plate rights, recordation of
assignment, recordation of trust, and other requisite matters shall be
prescribed by the competent authority.
Article 80
The provisions of Article 42 and Article 43 concerning the extinguishment
of economic rights, and the provisions of Articles 44 through 48, Article
49, Article 51, Article 52, Article 54, Article 64, and Article 65 concerning
limitations on economic rights, shall apply mutatis mutandis to plate
rights.
Chapter IVbis Electronic Rights Management Information and Technological
Protection Measures
Article 80bis
Electronic rights management information made by a copyright owner shall
not be removed or altered; provided, this shall not apply in any of the
following circumstances:
1. Where removal or alteration of electronic rights management information
of the work is unavoidable in the lawful exploitation of the work given
technological limitations at the time of the act.
2. Where the removal or alteration is technically necessary to conversion
of a recording or transmission system.
Whoever knows that electronic rights management information of a work
has been unlawfully removed or altered shall not distribute or, with intent
to distribute, import or possess the original or any copy of such work.
He/She also shall not publicly broadcast, publicly perform, nor publicly
transmit [the same].
Article 80ter
Technological protection measures employed by copyright owners to prohibit
or restrict others from accessing works shall not, without legal authorization,
be disarmed, destroyed, or by any other means circumvented.
Any equipment, device, component, technology or information for disarming,
destroying, or circumventing technological protection measures shall not,
without legal authorization, be manufactured, imported, offered to the
public for use, or offered in services to the public.
The provisions of the preceding two paragraphs shall not apply in the
following circumstances:
1. Where to preserve national security.
2. Where done by central or local government agencies.
3. Where done by file archive institutions, educational institutions,
or public libraries to assess whether to obtain the information.
4. Where to protect minors.
5. Where to protect personal data.
6. Where to perform security testing of computers or networks.
7. Where to conduct encryption research.
8. Where to conduct reverse engineering.
9. Under other circumstances specified by the competent authority.
The content in the subparagraphs of the preceding paragraph shall be
prescribed and periodically reviewed by the competent authority.
Chapter V Copyright Intermediary Organizations and Copyright Review and
Mediation Committees
Article 81
Economic rights holders may, with the approval of the specialized agency
in charge of copyright matters, establish copyright intermediary organizations
for the purpose of exercising rights or for collecting and distributing
compensation for use.
Exclusive licensees may also join copyright intermediary organizations.
The approval for establishment and the organization and capacities of
the organizations referred to in paragraph 1, as well as the supervision
and guidance thereof, shall be otherwise provided for by act.
Article 82
The specialized agency in charge of copyright matters shall establish
a Copyright Examination and Mediation Committee to handle the following
matters:
1. Examination of rates of compensation for use under the provisions
of paragraph 4 of Article 47.
2. Mediation of disputes between copyright intermediary organizations
and users concerning compensation for use.
3. Mediation of disputes concerning copyright or plate rights.
4. Other consultation in connection with copyright examination and mediation.
Dispute mediation referred to in subparagraph 3 of the preceding paragraph,
when involving criminal matters, shall be limited to cases actionable
only upon complaint.
Article 82bis
Within seven days of the date of the conclusion of a mediation settlement,
the specialized agency in charge of copyright matters shall submit the
written mediation settlement statement for review by the court of jurisdiction.
The court shall review the written mediation settlement statement referred
to in the preceding paragraph with due dispatch. Unless it is contrary
to act or regulation, public order, or good morals, or compulsory execution
would be impossible, the judge shall sign [copies] thereof and affix the
seal of the court thereto, and shall return the mediation settlement statement
to the specialized agency in charge of copyright matters for service to
the parties, retaining one copy for its own records.
Where the court decides not to ratify a mediation settlement statement,
it shall notify the specialized agency in charge of copyright matters
of the reasons.
Article 82ter
After a mediation settlement has been ratified by a court, the parties
shall not initiate any further public or private prosecution or action
with respect to the mediated matter.
A civil mediation settlement ratified by a court as referred to in the
preceding paragraph shall have the same force as a final and unappealable
court judgment in a civil case. With respect to a criminal mediation settlement
that has been ratified by a court, where the subject matter is payment
of a certain amount of money, or other substitute therefore, or securities,
the written mediation settlement statement shall constitute a writ of
execution.
Article 82quater
Where a civil mediation settlement has been concluded, and then ratified
by a court while the civil action is under litigation, and where no final
and unappealable court judgment has yet been obtained, the civil action
shall be deemed withdrawn as of the date of the conclusion of the mediation
settlement.
Where a criminal mediation settlement has been concluded, and then ratified
by a court while the criminal case is in the investigation stage or before
the conclusion of arguments in the trial of first instance, and where
the parties have agreed to withdraw the case, the complaint or private
prosecution shall be deemed withdrawn as of the date of the conclusion
of the mediation settlement.
Article 82quinquies
Should there exist any ground for invalidation or voidance of a civil
mediation settlement after ratification by a court, the parties may file
an action with the original ratifying court to invalidate or void the
mediation settlement.
The action referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be initiated
by the parties within 30 days of service of the written mediation settlement
statement ratified by the court.
Article 83
The organic charter for the Copyright Examination and Mediation Committee
referred to in Article 82, and the regulations concerning dispute mediation,
shall be drafted by the competent authority and promulgated after review
and approval by the Executive Yuan.
Chapter VI Remedies for Infringement of Rights
Article 84
The copyright holder or the plate rights holder may demand removal of
infringement of its rights. Where there is likelihood of infringement,
a demand may be made to prevent such infringement.
Article 85
A person who infringes on the moral rights of an author shall be liable
for damages. In the event of non-pecuniary injury, the injured party may
claim a commensurate amount of compensation.
In infringement matters referred to in the preceding paragraph the injured
party may demand indication of the author's name or appellation, correction
of content, or adoption other appropriate measures necessary for the restoration
of its reputation.
Article 86
After the death of the author, unless otherwise specified by a will,
the following persons, in the order indicated, shall be entitled to request
remedies in accordance with Article 84 and the second paragraph of the
preceding article for actual or likely violations of Article 18:
1. Spouses
2. Children
3. Parents
4. Grandchildren
5. Brothers and sisters
6. Grandparents
Article 87
Any of the following circumstances, except as otherwise provided under
this Act, shall be deemed an infringement of copyright or plate rights:
1. To exploit a work by means of infringing on the reputation of the author.
2. Distribution of articles that are known to infringe on plate rights,
or public display or possession of such articles with the intent to distribute.
3. Import of any copies reproduced without the authorization of the economic
rights holder or the plate rights holder.
4. Import of the original or any copies of a work without the authorization
of the economic rights holder.
5. Exploitation for business purposes of a copy of a computer program
that is known to infringe on economic rights in such computer program.
6. Distribution, by any means other than transfer of ownership or rental,
articles that are known to infringe on economic rights; or public display
or possession, with the intent to distribute, of articles that are known
to infringe on economic rights.
7. To provide to the public computer programs or other technology that
can be used to publicly transmit or reproduce works, with the intent to
allow the public to infringe economic rights by means of public transmission
or reproduction by means of the Internet of the works of another, without
the consent of or a license from the economic rights holder, and to receive
benefit therefrom.
A person who undertakes the actions set out in subparagraph 7 above shall
be deemed to have "intent" pursuant to that subparagraph when
the advertising or other active measures employed by the person instigates,
solicits, incites, or persuades the public to use the computer program
or other technology provided by that person for the purpose of infringing
upon the economic rights of others.
Article 87bis
The provisions of subparagraph 4 of the preceding article do not apply
under any of the following circumstances:
1. Where the original or copies of a work are imported for the use of
central or local government agencies; provided, this does not apply to
import for use in schools or other educational institutions, or to the
import of any audiovisual work for purposes other than archival use.
2. Where the original or a specified number of copies of any audiovisual
works are imported in order to supply such works to nonprofit scholarly,
educational, or religious organizations for archival purposes, or where
an original or specified number of copies of works other than audiovisual
works are imported for library lending or archival purposes, provided
that such copies are used in compliance with the provisions of Article
48.
3. Where the original or a specified number of copies of a work are imported
for the private use of the importer, not for distribution, or where such
import occurs because the original or copies form part of the personal
baggage of a person arriving from outside the territory.
4. Where the original or copies of a work incorporated into any legally
imported goods, machinery, or equipment are imported in conjunction with
the import of such items. Such original or copies of the work shall not
be reproduced during the use or operation of the goods, machinery or equipment.
5. Where a user's manual or operating manual accompanying any legally
imported goods, machinery, or equipment is imported; provided, this does
not apply where the user's manual or operating manual are the principal
objects of the importation.
The "specified number" set forth in subparagraphs 2 and 3 of
the preceding paragraph shall be prescribed by the competent authority.
Article 88
A person who unlawfully infringes on another person's economic rights
or plate rights out of intention or negligence shall be liable for damages.
Where multiple persons engage in unlawful infringement, they shall bear
joint and several liability for damages.
With regard to the damages referred to in the preceding paragraph, the
injured party may make claim in any of the following manners:
1. In accordance with the provisions of Article 216 of the Civil Code;
provided, when the injured party is unable to prove damages, it may base
the damages on the difference between the amount of expected benefit from
the exercise of such rights under normal circumstances and the amount
of benefit from the exercise of the same rights after the infringement.
2. Based on the amount of benefit obtained by the infringer on account
of the infringing activity; provided, where the infringer is unable to
establish costs or necessary expenses [of the infringing act or articles],
the total revenue derived from the infringement shall be deemed to be
its benefit.
If it is difficult for the injured party to prove actual damages in accordance
with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, it may request that the
court, based on the seriousness of the matter, set compensation at an
amount of not less than ten thousand and not more than one million New
Taiwan Dollars. If the damaging activity was intentional and the matter
serious, the compensation may be increased to five million New Taiwan
Dollars.
Article 88bis
Where claim is made pursuant to Article 84 or paragraph 1 of the preceding
Article, the injured party may request the destruction or other necessary
disposition of goods produced as a result of the infringing act, or of
articles used predominantly for the commission of infringing acts.
Article 89
The injured party may demand that the infringer, at its own expense,
publish in a newspaper or magazine all or part of a judgment concerning
said infringement.
Article 89bis
The right to claim damages as specified in Articles 85 and 88 shall be
extinguished if not exercised within two years from the time the person
having the right to make claim learns of its right to claim damages and
knows the identity of the obligor, or within ten years of the occurrence
of the infringement.
Article 90
Each holder of copyrights in a joint work may, pursuant to the provisions
of this chapter, separately demand remedies from the infringer, and may
also claim damages based on its share of copyright ownership.
The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall apply mutatis mutandis
to joint holders of economic rights and plate rights that arise out of
other relationships.
Article 90bis
A copyright holder or plate rights holder may apply to the customs authorities
to suspend the release of import or export goods that infringe on their
copyright or plate rights.
The application referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be filed
in writing, shall state the facts of the infringement, and shall include
a bond in an amount equivalent to the import customs value or the export
FOB value of the goods, as assessed by customs, to serve as a security
to offset the loss suffered by the party whose goods are subject to attachment.
Customs shall immediately inform the applicant when processing an application
to suspend the release of goods. Where Customs determines that the conditions
in the preceding paragraph have been met and issues an attachment order,
it shall give written notification to the applicant and to the party whose
goods are attached.
The applicant or the party whose goods are attached may apply to the
customs authorities for permission to inspect the attached goods.
Attached goods shall be confiscated by the customs authorities where
the applicant has obtained a final and unappealable civil judgment determining
that the goods infringe on copyright or plate rights. The owner of the
attached goods shall be held liable for such costs as container demurrage,
warehousing, loading, unloading, as well as for expenses connected with
destruction of the goods.
If the expenses connected with destruction of the goods referred to in
the preceding paragraph are not paid within the period prescribed by customs
authorities, the claim shall be enforced through compulsory execution.
In any of the following circumstances, an attachment order shall be rescinded
by the customs authorities and the attached goods shall be processed in
accordance with applicable import and export regulations; in addition,
the applicant shall compensate the party whose goods were attached for
damage incurred on account of the attachment:
1. The attached goods have been determined to be non-infringing of copyright
or plate rights by a final and unappealable court judgment.
2. Within twelve days of the date on which the applicant is informed
of the attachment, the customs authorities have not received notification
from the applicant indicating that it has initiated litigation proceedings
alleging that the attached goods are in infringement.
3. The applicant applies to rescind the attachment.
The period referred to in subparagraph 2 of the preceding paragraph may
be extended by another twelve days if customs authorities deem it necessary.
Customs authorities shall return the bond upon the applicant's request
in any of the following circumstances:
1. There is no need to continue posting the bond either because the applicant
has obtained a final and unappealable judgment in its favor or because
the applicant has reached a settlement with the party whose goods were
attached.
2. The attachment order has been rescinded and the applicant can prove
that at least the required twenty days have elapsed since the applicant
notified the party whose goods are subject to the suspension of release
to exercise its rights and such party has failed to exercise its rights.
3. The party whose goods were attached agrees to the return.
A person whose goods have been attached shall have the same rights as
a pledgee with respect to the bond referred to in the second paragraph
of this article.
When the customs authorities, in the course of executing their duties,
discover import/export goods that in appearance are obviously suspect
of copyright infringement, they may within one business day notify the
rights holder and notify the importer/exporter to produce authorization
materials. After receiving notice, the rights holder shall proceed to
customs within four hours for air export goods and within one business
day for air import goods and sea import/export goods to assist with verification.
Where the rights holder is unknown or cannot be notified, or the rights
holder fails to proceed to customs within the time limit as notified to
assist with verification, or the rights holder determines that the goods
in question are not infringing, and if there is no violation of other
customs clearance regulations, customs shall release the goods forthwith.
Where the goods are determined to be suspected infringing goods, customs
shall take measures to suspend the release of the goods.
If within three business days after customs has taken measures to suspend
the release of the goods the rights holder has not applied to customs
for attachment under paragraphs 1 to 10, or has not initiated civil or
criminal litigation procedure to protect the rights, and if there is no
violation of other customs clearance regulations, customs shall release
the goods forthwith.
Article 90ter
The implementing regulations for the preceding article shall be prescribed
by the competent authority in consultations with the Ministry of Finance.
Article 90quater
Whoever violates any provision of Article 80bis or Article 80ter, thereby
causing damage to the copyright owner, shall be liable for damages. If
there are multiple violators, they shall bear joint and several liability
for damages.
The provisions of Article 84, Article 88bis, Article 89bis, and Article
90bis shall apply mutatis mutandis to violations of Article 80bis or Article
80ter.
Chapter VII Penal Provisions
Article 91
A person who infringes on the economic rights of another person by means
of reproducing the work without authorization shall be punished by imprisonment
for not more than three years, detention, or in lieu thereof or in addition
thereto a fine not more than seven hundred and fifty thousand New Taiwan
Dollars.
A person who infringes on the economic rights of another person by means
of reproducing the work without authorization with the intent to sell
or rent shall be imprisoned not less than six months and not more than
five years, and in addition thereto, may be fined not less than two hundred
thousand and not more than two million New Taiwan Dollars.
A person who commits the offense in the preceding paragraph by means
of reproducing onto an optical disk shall be imprisoned not less than
six months and not more than five years, and in addition thereto, may
be fined not less than five hundred thousand and not more than five million
New Taiwan Dollars.
A work only for personal reference or fair use of a work does not constitute
infringement of copyright.
Article 91bis
A person who infringes on the economic rights of another person by distributing
the original of a work or a copy thereof by transfer of ownership without
authorization shall be punished by imprisonment for not more than three
years, detention, or in lieu thereof or in addition thereto, a fine not
more than five hundred thousand New Taiwan Dollars.
A person who distributes or with intent to distribute publicly displays
or possesses a copy knowing that it infringes on economic rights shall
be imprisoned not more than three years and, in addition thereto, may
be fined not less than seventy thousand and not more than seven hundred
and fifty thousand New Taiwan Dollars.
A person who commits the offense in the preceding paragraph and the infringing
copy is optical disk shall be imprisoned not less than six months and
not more than three years and, in addition thereto, may be fined not less
than two hundred thousand and not more than two million New Taiwan Dollars;
provided, this shall not apply to optical disks imported in violation
of subparagraph 4 of Article 87.
Punishment of an offense in the preceding two paragraphs may be reduced
if the offender confesses the source of the goods, resulting in the uncovering
thereof.
Article 92
A person who infringes on the economic rights of another person without
authorization by means of public recitation, public broadcast, public
presentation, public performance, public transmission, public display,
adaptation, compilation, or leasing, shall be punished by imprisonment
for not more than three years, detention, or in lieu thereof or in addition
thereto a fine not more than seven hundred and fifty thousand New Taiwan
Dollars.
Article 93
In any of the following circumstances, a sentence of up to two years
imprisonment or detention shall be imposed, or in lieu thereof or in addition
thereto, a fine of not more than five hundred thousand New Taiwan Dollars:
1. Infringement of the author's moral rights as set forth in the provisions
of articles 15 through 17.
2. Violations of the provisions of Article 70.
3. Infringement of another person's copyright by any of the means specified
in paragraph 1, subparagraphs 1, 3, 5, or 6 of Article 87, provided this
shall not apply to offenses as referred to in paragraph 2 or paragraph
3 of Article 91bis.
4. Violations of subparagraph 7 of paragraph 1 of Article 87.
Article 94
(deleted)
Article 95
A person who violates any provision of Article 112 shall be punished
by imprisonment for not more than one year, detention, or, in lieu thereof
or in addition thereto, a fine of not less than twenty thousand and not
more than two hundred and fifty thousand New Taiwan Dollars.
Article 96
A fine of up to fifty thousand New Taiwan Dollars shall be imposed for
violations of the provisions of the second paragraph of Article 59 or
the provisions of Article 64.
Article 96bis
In any of the following circumstances a sentence of up to one year imprisonment
or detention shall be imposed, or in lieu thereof or in addition thereto,
a fine of not less than twenty thousand and not more than two hundred
and fifty thousand New Taiwan Dollars:
1. Violation of Article 80bis.
2. Violation of paragraph 2 of Article 80ter.
Article 96ter
If a fine is to be imposed pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter,
the financial ability of the offender and the benefit he/she has obtained
through commission of the offense shall be taken into account. If the
benefit obtained exceeds the maximum fine, such fine may be increased
within the limit of the obtained benefit.
Article 97
(deleted)
Article 97bis
When an enterprise, by means of public transmission, violates the provisions
of Article 91, Article 92, or Article 93, subparagraph 4 and is convicted
by a court, it shall immediately cease such activities. If the enterprise
does not cease those activities, then following the convening by the competent
authority of a group of specialists, academicians, and related enterprises
who determine that the enterprise's activities constitute a serious infringement
and that they materially affect the rights and interests of the economic
rights holder, the competent authority shall prescribe a period of one
month within which the enterprise shall take corrective action; where
the enterprise fails to take corrective action within that period, the
competent authority may order suspension or compulsory termination of
the enterprise's business.
Article 98
An article used in the commission of an offense or acquired through the
commission of an offense set forth in Article 91 through Article 93, Article
95 through Article 96bis may be confiscated; provided, for an offense
set forth in paragraph 3 of Article 91 or paragraph 3 of Article 91bis,
articles which may be confiscated are not limited to those belonging to
the offender.
Article 98bis
An article used in the commission of an offense or acquired through the
commission of an offense set forth in paragraph 3, Article 91, or paragraph
3, Article 91bis, may be confiscated by the judiciary police if the offender
escapes and is therefore unidentifiable.
The article confiscated pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall be
destroyed, provided that where the confiscated article is money, that
money shall be submitted to the national treasury. The relevant provisions
of the Act for the Maintenance of Social Order shall apply mutatis mutandis
to the procedures of the aforementioned destruction and submission.
Article 99
Upon motion by the injured party or another party having the right to
file a complaint, an infringer as set out in Articles 91 through Articles
93, Articles 95 may be ordered to publish all or part of the court judgment
in a newspaper and bear the costs thereof.
Article 100
The offenses specified in this chapter are actionable only upon complaint;
provided, this shall not apply to offenses specified in paragraph 3 of
Article 91 and paragraph 3 of Article 91bis.
Article 101
Where the representative of a juristic person, or the agent, employee,
or other servant of a juristic or natural person commits any of the offenses
specified in Articles 91 through Article 93, Article 95 through 96bis
in the performance of its duties, in addition to punishing the infringer
in accordance with the aforesaid articles, such juristic or natural person
shall also be fined in accordance with said articles.
In circumstances specified in the preceding paragraph, where a complaint
against the infringer or the juristic or natural person is filed or withdrawn,
the effect of such filing or withdrawal shall apply to the others.
Article 102
An unrecognized foreign juristic person may file a complaint or bring
a private prosecution against the offenses specified in Articles 91 through
Article 93, Article 95 through 96bis.
Article 103
Upon complaint or information of an infringement of a person's copyright
or plate rights, judicial police officials or judicial police may seize
the infringing articles in accordance with law and refer the matter for
investigation.
Article 104
(deleted)
Chapter VIII Supplementary Provisions
Article 105
Persons who apply under this Act for a compulsory license, recordation
of plate rights, recordation of assignment of plate rights, recordation
of trust of plate rights, dispute mediation, inspection of the register
of plate rights, or issuance of a transcript thereof, shall pay a filing
fee.
The amount of the fee referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be
prescribed by the competent authority.
Article 106
Except as otherwise provided for in this Chapter, this Act shall apply
to works that were completed prior to the implementation date of the June
10, 1992 amendment to this Act where such works comply with any one of
the provisions of Articles 106 through 109 of the Act prior to the January
21, 1998 Copyright Act taking effect.
This Act shall apply to works that were completed after the implementation
date of the June 10, 1992 amendment to this Act.
Article 106bis
Except as otherwise provided under in this Chapter, this Act shall apply
to works that were completed prior to the date on which the World Trade
Organization Agreement took effect in the territory under the jurisdiction
of the Republic of China where such works did not enjoy copyright under
the provisions of the respective versions of this Act but where the term
of protection for economic rights has not expired in accordance with this
Act; provided, this shall not apply to works of foreign nationals for
which the term of protection has expired in their country of origin.
The term "country of origin" as used in the proviso of the
preceding paragraph shall have the meaning ascribed to the term in Article
5 of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic
Works (Paris Act 1971).
Article 106ter
Except as otherwise provided for in this Chapter, a person who began
the exploitation of works protected pursuant to the provisions of the
preceding article prior to the date on which the World Trade Organization
Agreement took effect in the territory under the jurisdiction of the Republic
of China, or who made significant investment toward the purpose of such
exploitation, may continue to exploit such works during the two-year period
which commences on the aforementioned effective date of said Agreement,
and the provisions of Chapter VI and Chapter VII of this Act shall not
apply.
From the implementation of the June 6, 2003 amendment to this Act, the
person exploiting a work pursuant to the preceding paragraph, except in
circumstances of rental or lending, shall pay to the economic rights holder
of the exploited work a reasonable compensation for the exploitation such
as would normally be paid for such work through free negotiation.
From one year after the date of promulgation of the amendment to this
Act, an exploiter shall not further sell unauthorized copies of works
protected under the preceding article; provided, it may still rent or
lend them.
The preceding paragraph does not apply to copies of works that are separately
created through exploitation of works protected under the preceding article;
provided that, except as set forth in Articles 44 to 65, the economic
rights holder of the exploited work shall be paid a reasonable compensation
for the exploitation such as would normally be paid for such work through
free negotiation.
Article 106quater
Exploitation of a derivative work may continue beyond the date on which
the World Trade Organization Agreement took effect in the territory under
the jurisdiction of the Republic of China, where the preexisting work
upon which such derivative work is derived is a work under Article 106bis,
where the completion of the derivative work occurred prior to the aforementioned
effective date, and where such derivative work was protected under respective
versions of this act; the provisions of Chapter VI and Chapter VII of
this Act shall not apply.
From the implementation of the June 6, 2003 amendment to this Act, the
person exploiting the derivative work pursuant to the preceding paragraph
shall pay to the economic rights holder of the underlying work a reasonable
compensation such as would normally be paid for such work through free
negotiation.
The provisions of the preceding two paragraphs shall not affect the protection
of the derivative work.
Article 107
(deleted)
Article 108
(deleted)
Article 109
(deleted)
Article 110
The provisions of Article 13 shall not apply to works completed and registered
prior to the implementation date of the June 10, 1992 amendment to this
Act.
Article 111
The provisions of Article 11 and Article 12 shall not apply in the following
situations:
1. The copyright was obtained pursuant to the provisions of Article 10
or 11 of this Act prior to the implementation date of the June 10, 1992
amendment to this Act.
2. The copyright was obtained pursuant to Article 11 or 12 of this Act
prior to the January 21, 1998 Copyright Act taking effect.
Article 112
Where the works of foreign nationals enjoyed protection of translation
rights pursuant to this Act prior to the implementation date of the June
10, 1992 amendment hereto, translations of such works made prior to said
implementation date shall no longer be reproduced after said implementation
date without the consent of the holder of the copyright to such works,
unless such exploitation is in conformity with Articles 44 through Article
65 of this Act.
Copies of translations of works referred to in the preceding paragraph
shall no longer be sold after the expiration of the two-year period following
the implementation date of the June 10, 1992 amendment to this Act.
Article 113
This Act shall apply to plate rights that were obtained prior to the
implementation date of the June 6, 2003 amendment to this Act; provided,
the term of protection calculated pursuant to this Act has not expired.
Article 114
(deleted)
Article 115
Agreements for reciprocal copyright protection signed by organizations
and agencies of this country and those of a foreign country shall, upon
ratification by the Executive Yuan, be deemed "agreements" as
that term is used in Article 4.
Article 115bis
The plate rights register or recordation log, and samples submitted,
shall be made available to the public for inspection and copying.
Any copyright register or recordation log that has been registered and
recorded prior to the implementation date of the January 21, 1998 amendment
to this Act, and any sample thereof that has been submitted, may be made
available to the public for inspection and copying.
Article 115ter
For the purpose of handling copyright litigation, courts may establish
a specialized court or appoint specialized judges.
The courts shall deliver to the specialized agency in charge of copyright
matters a copy of decisions in copyright litigation cases.
Article 116
(deleted)
Article 117
This Act shall take effect from the date of promulgation, provided that
the provisions of Articles 106bis through 106quater amended and promulgated
on January 21, 1998 took effect from the date upon which the World Trade
Organization Agreement took effect in the territory under the jurisdiction
of the Republic of China, and the provisions amended on May 5, 2006 took
effect from July 1, 2006.
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