Copyright Act 2021 - Singapore Statutes Online

Status:

Not current version
(effective from 01 May 2024 to 24 Nov 2024)

2020 REVISED EDITION

This revised edition incorporates all amendments up to and including 1 December 2021 and comes into operation on 31 December 2021

An Act to repeal and re‑enact the Copyright Act (Chapter 63 of the 2006 Revised Edition) to provide for copyright, the protection of performances and related rights, and to make related and consequential amendments to certain other Acts.

[21 November 2021: Except Division 2 of Part 9 and sections 501(2) and (3) and 507(4)(c) and (10) ]

PART 1

PRELIMINARY

Short title and commencement

1.—(1) This Act is the Copyright Act 2021.

(2) Division 2 of Part 9 and sections 501(2) and (3) and 507(4)(c) and (10) come into operation on a date that the Minister appoints by notification in the Gazette.

Application to things existing before 21 November 2021

2. Unless it expressly provides otherwise, this Act applies to a thing existing on 21 November 2021 as it applies to a thing coming into existence after that date.

Extension of Act to reciprocating countries

3.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), regulations may prescribe that —

(a)

a country is a reciprocating country; and

(b)

this Act is extended so as to apply in relation to the country or its nationals —

(i)	generally or for specified classes of cases; and
(ii)	with or without modifications or exceptions.

(2) A country may be prescribed as a reciprocating country only if —

(a)

in relation to works protected by copyright under the provisions of this Act —

(i)	the country and Singapore are both parties to a treaty, convention or other international agreement relating to copyright; or
(ii)	the Minister is satisfied that those works are or will be adequately protected under the law of the country; and

(b)

in relation to the performances protected under the provisions of this Act —

(i)	the country and Singapore are both parties to a treaty, convention or other international agreement relating to the protection of performances; or
(ii)	the Minister is satisfied that those performances are or will be adequately protected under the law of the country.

(3) In this section and section 4, “national”, in relation to a country, means —

(a)	a national, citizen or resident of the country; or
(b)	a body incorporated or established under the law of the country.

Exclusion of non‑reciprocating countries from Act

4.—(1) Subject to subsection (2), regulations may prescribe that —

(a)

a country is a non‑reciprocating country; and

(b)

either —

(i)	this Act does not apply in relation to the country or its nationals, whether generally or for specified classes of cases; or
(ii)	the application of this Act in relation to the country or its nationals is subject to modifications or exceptions.

(2) A country may be prescribed as a non‑reciprocating country only if the Minister considers that the law of the country does not give adequate protection to —

(a)	works (or any class of works) protected by copyright under this Act; or
(b)	performances (or any class of performances) protected under this Act.

(3) Without limiting subsection (2), the inadequacy of protection may relate to the nature of the work or performance, or the nationality, citizenship or country of residence of the person who made the work or gave the performance.

(4) In making regulations under subsection (1)(b), the Minister must have regard to the nature and extent of the inadequacy mentioned in subsection (2).

(5) Regulations under subsection (1) must not deprive a person of any rights acquired under this Act before the date on which the regulations are published in the Gazette.

(6) In this section, “work” does not include a published edition of an authorial work.

Saving for other laws

5.—(1) Unless it expressly provides otherwise, this Act does not affect any right or privilege of any person (including the Government) under any other written law.

(2) This Act does not affect the operation of the law relating to breaches of trust or confidence.

Act binds Government

6.—(1) Unless it expressly provides otherwise, this Act binds the Government.

(2) The Government is not liable to be prosecuted for an offence under this Act.

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