Copyright registration in Russia

In contrast to the patenting system, copyright is not confirmed by registration. For the emergence of the author's rights protection regime it is enough to prove the very fact of creation of a new work. The registration procedure can be carried out only for computer programs and databases. The firm of patent attorneys Prof-Patent will provide a full range of services aimed at confirmation and protection of copyrights.

How to confirm copyrights

Authorship arises from the moment of creation of a work and, under certain conditions, a part of a work. The law allows the author to protect exclusive rights to a published or unpublished work, but the fact of publication will significantly simplify the procedure of confirmation of authorship. Thus, instead of registration the following options of registration and confirmation of copyright are used:

• through publication (disclosure) of the work - the legislation of the Russian Federation recognizes that indicating information about the author on a copy of the work confirms authorship, unless proven otherwise;
• Deposit of a copy of a work with the authorized agencies (for example, with the Russian Authors' Association); this procedure may be performed even before the work has been made public;
• Certification at a notary's office of the creation of a new work, in which case the notary will fix the date on which the author submitted a copy of the new book or other work
• by applying to the court - the present author can challenge the rights previously claimed by another person, which will entail a change of authorship.

The choice of one of the options for confirmation and protection of rights will depend on the object of copyright, the conditions of its creation, and other factors. The most reliable options for registration or registration of rights are escrow and notarization. The fact that a copy has been deposited or notarized can be referred to in court as evidence.

The author has the right to place a mark of protection on each copy of the work, which includes the following elements:

• the letter "C" in a circle;
• the name or title of the owner of rights to the object;
• year of the first publication of the copyrighted object.

The indication of such a mark on the work is also evidence of the author's rights. If a similar element is placed on someone else's work by another person, the present author has the right to use any options for protection, including through the courts.

From the moment of creation of a work the author has a set of exclusive rights. In addition to independent use of the object of copyright in commercial or noncommercial purposes, the author can transfer the rights to a work to third parties - on a gratuitous or non-gratuitous basis, for a certain period of time or for good. Disposal of rights on a work does not affect the legal regime of authorship in any way. It will remain even in case of complete alienation of rights.

The registration procedure can be carried out to confirm the author's rights to a computer program or a database. The advisability of application for registration should be determined by the author himself, and the ban on the procedure is set only for programs and databases containing information of state secrets. The registration actions will be carried out in FIPS on the basis of the application from the right holder and the deposited materials.

Copyrights can be officially registered on the territory of foreign countries. For example, a simplified registration procedure operates in the USA - the author needs to fill in a simple application form, pay a fee and submit a copy to the US Library of Congress for deposit. Upon registration, a certificate will be issued with a unique identification code assigned to the work.

Our Services in Russia and abroad

The firm of patent attorneys Prof-Patent is professionally engaged in the registration of patent and copyright, as well as provides services to rights holders.  Our specialists:

• We will provide consulting services and explain the options of copyright registration in the Russian Federation and abroad;
• help draw up documents for the registration of computer programs and databases, depositing or notarizing the fact of creating a work;
• provide protection of interests in the use or disposal of copyrights, including the conclusion of contracts of alienation of rights, the agreement on the copyright order and other options for transactions;
• achieve prosecution of the infringer of copyrights.

All necessary actions on behalf of the client will be performed on the basis of power of attorney. To make an appointment for a consultation with our specialists and to receive other services in the field of copyright protection, please call by phone listed on the website, or fill out a feedback form.