Overview of Copyright Registration Procedures
Copyright protection for local and international works is registered at the Copyright Protection Office, a division of the General People's Committee of Culture and Information.
Libya is a signatory of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, and the main piece of copyright legislation is the Libyan Copyright Law No. 7 of 1984, based on the Libyan Copyright Law No. 9 of 1968.
Copyright protection is provided when the proposed copyrighted material is filed within a month of publication in Libya at the Copyright Protection Office; and that it is filed before distribution, with a minimum of 20 copies required for distribution.
Copyright Protection covers fixed and original works of literature, art and science regardless of type, importance or purpose. This includes works of art expressed in writing, sounds, drawings, photography and motion pictures; such as, books, writings, speeches, oral works, plays, dramatic works, musical compositions, films and phonographic works.
Protection is granted for the lifetime of the author plus 50 years following his/her death. In order for protection to be effective, the work of art has to be original and include personal efforts, invention and new arrangement.
The Copyright Law, its regulations, and requirements for Copyright applications are being revised, edited, and amended constantly. For the full current Copyright Laws, amendments, and Copyright application requirements, please contact us.
