Copyrights Law in Cook Islands
Here’s a summary of copyright law in the Cook Islands:
📘 Legal Framework
Copyright in the Cook Islands is governed by the Copyright Act 2017, which modernized the country’s copyright protection.
The Act provides protection for literary, artistic, musical, and other creative works.
The Intellectual Property Office of the Cook Islands oversees copyright registration and administration, although copyright protection exists automatically upon creation without formal registration.
🧠 What Is Protected?
The Cook Islands’ copyright law protects:
Literary works (books, articles, computer programs)
Artistic works (paintings, drawings, photographs)
Musical works (compositions and lyrics)
Dramatic works
Cinematographic films and broadcasts
Sound recordings
Performances of performers
📅 Duration of Copyright
Generally, copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 50 years after their death.
For anonymous or pseudonymous works, the term is 50 years from the date of publication.
For cinematographic films, sound recordings, and broadcasts, the term is 50 years from creation or publication.
🌍 International Treaties
The Cook Islands is a party to several key international copyright treaties, including:
Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works
WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT)
WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT)
TRIPS Agreement under the WTO (through New Zealand, with which Cook Islands has a free association)
⚖️ Rights Granted
Copyright owners have the exclusive rights to:
Reproduce the work
Perform or communicate the work publicly
Adapt or translate the work
Distribute copies to the public
Authorize others to exercise these rights
⚖️ Enforcement
Copyright infringement cases are handled through the Cook Islands legal system.
Remedies can include injunctions, damages, and destruction of infringing copies.
Criminal penalties may apply in cases of willful infringement.
Summary:
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Governing Law | Copyright Act 2017 |
| Protected Works | Literary, artistic, musical, dramatic, and related works |
| Duration | Life of author + 50 years; 50 years for anonymous works |
| International Treaties | Berne, WCT, WPPT, TRIPS (via New Zealand) |
| Enforcement | Civil and criminal remedies |
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