- Panoramafreiheit
Panoramafreiheit, translated literally into English as "Freedom of Panorama" or "Panorama Freedom", is a provision in the
copyright laws ofGermany that permits taking pictures or creating other images (such as paintings) of buildings and sculptures which are permanently located in apublic place without infringing any copyright that may subsist in such works, and to publish such images.Seiler, D.: " [http://www.fotorecht.de/publikationen/hundertwasserhaus3.html Gebäudefotografie in der EU – Neues vom Hundertwasserhaus] ", in "Photopresse" 1/2 (2006), p. 16. URL last accessed2007-09-20 .] Panoramafreiheit limits the right of the copyright owner to take action for breach of copyright against the photographer or anyone distributing the resultant image. It is an exception to the normal rule that the copyright owner has the exclusive right to authorize the creation and distribution ofderivative work s.Many countries have similar provisions restricting the scope of copyright law in order to explicitly permit photographs involving scenes of public places or scenes photographed from public places. Other countries, though, differ widely in their interpretation of the principle. It is defined in article 59 of the German "Urheberrechtsgesetz",Seiler, D.: " [http://www.fotorecht.de/publikationen/gebaeude.html Fotografieren von und in Gebäuden] ", in "visuell" 5/2001, p. 50. See also [http://bundesrecht.juris.de/urhg/__59.html §59 UrhG (Germany)] . URLs last accessed
2007-09-20 .] in article 27 of the Swiss "Urheberrechtsgesetz",Rehbinder, M.: "Schweizerisches Urheberrecht" 3rd ed., p. 158, Stämpfli Verlag, Berne, 2000. ISBN 3-7272-0923-2. See also [http://www.admin.ch/ch/d/sr/231_1/a27.html §27 URG (Switzerland)] . URL last accessed2007-09-20 .] in section 62 of theUnited Kingdom Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988,Lydiate, H.: " [http://web.archive.org/web/20060427214137/http://www.artquest.org.uk/artlaw/copyright/confusion.htm Advertising and marketing art: Copyright confusion] ". See also [http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1988/Ukpga_19880048_en_4.htm#mdiv62 section 62 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988] . URLs last accessed2007-09-20 .] and it exists in several other countries. In theUnited States , there is "no" such encompassing rule;Lydiate, H.: " [http://www.artquest.org.uk/artlaw/copyright/32087.htm Public Sculpture] ", "Art Monthly 11/2006". URL last accessed2008-05-17 .] the only similar article is , which exempts the creation of pictorial representations of buildings from the architect's copyright.Gorman, R.A.: " [http://www.fjc.gov/public/pdf.nsf/lookup/copyright.pdf/$file/copyright.pdf Copyright law, 2nd ed.] ", U.S.Federal Judicial Center ,June 19 ,2006 , pp. 48, 166. URL last accessed2007-09-20 .] Brinson, D.: " [http://www.photosecrets.com/tips.law.html The Law for Photographers: Do I Need Permission?] ". URL last accessed2007-09-20 .] In theEuropean Union ,Directive 2001/29/EC provides for the possibility of member states having a similar clause in their copyright laws, but does not require such a rule.N.N.: " [http://www.fotocommunity.de/info/Panoramafreiheit#Europa_hilft Panoramafreiheit] ". URl last accessed2007-09-20 . See also [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32001L0029:EN:HTML Article 5(3)(h) of 2001/29/EC] .] Some countries, such asFrance orBelgium , do not have this global permission for making images at public places at all and allow images of copyrighted works only under "incidental inclusion" clauses.Koetz, D.: " [http://web.archive.org/web/20060527190204/http://www.photographie.de/magazin/fotorecht_10_2002.cfm Erlaubnis zum Ablichten von Sehenswürdigkeiten] ", in "Photographie" 10/2002. URL last accessed2007-09-20 .]The precise extent of this permission to make pictures in public places without having to worry about copyrighted works being in the image differs amongst countries. In most countries, it applies only to images of three-dimensional worksSee "e.g." Lydiate.] that are permanently installed in a public place, "permanent" typically meaning "for the natural lifetime of the work".Dix, B.: " [http://www.rechtpraktisch.de/artikel.html?id=519 Christo und der verhüllte Reichstag] ",
February 21 ,2002 . URL last accessed2007-09-20 .] In Switzerland, even taking and publishing images of two-dimensional works such as murals or graffiti is permitted, provided such images cannot be used for the same purpose as the originals.But there are also more subtle differences: Whereas in Germany the permission applies only if both the depicted work "and" the photographer were on public ground when the image was taken, the photographer's location is irrelevant in Austria. In many Eastern European countries, the copyright laws limit this permission to non-commercial uses of the image only.See e.g. for Russia: Elst, M.: "Copyright, Freedom of Speech, and Cultural Policy in the Russian Federation", p. 432f; Martinus Nijhoff, Leiden/Boston, 2005; ISBN 9-004-14087-5.] Also, there are international differences in the definition of a "public place". In most countries, this includes only outdoor spaces (for instance, in Germany) while some other countries also include public museums (this is for instance the case in the UK and in
Russia Elst p. 432, footnote 268. Also see [http://www.consultant.ru/popular/gkrf4/ article 1276 of part IV of the Civil Code] (in force as ofJanuary 1 ,2008 ), clarifying this.] ).There are also European countries (such as
Italy Spinelli, L. " [http://punto-informatico.it/2030219/PI/News/wikipedia-cede-al-diritto-autore-italiota.aspx Wikipedia cede al diritto d'autore] ",Punto Informatico . URL last accessed2008-08-21 ] ) where there is still no freedom of panorama at all. In Italy, despite many official protests [Grillini, F. " [http://www.grillini.it/show.php?4884 Diritto di panorama] ", parliamentary interrogation. URL last accessed2008-08-21 ] and a national initiative [Scorza, G., Spinelli, L., " [http://www.diritto.it/all.php?file=25583.pdf Dare un senso al degrado] ". URL last accessed2008-08-21 ] leaded by the lawyerGuido Scorza and the journalistLuca Spinelli (the one who revealed the lack), the publishing of photographic reproductions of public places is still prohibited, in accordance with the old Italian copyright laws. [" [http://www.interlex.it/testi/l41_633.htm Legge 22 aprile 1941 n. 633] ". URL last accessed2008-08-21 ] [" [http://www.camera.it/parlam/leggi/deleghe/testi/04042dl.htm Decreto Legislativo 22 gennaio 2004, n. 42] ". URL last accessed2008-08-21 ]References
External links
* [http://www.asmp.org/commerce/legal/copyright/publicbldg.php Photographing public buildings] , from the
American Society of Media Photographers .
* [http://www.chillingeffects.org/derivative/ Derivative works] fromChilling Effects .
* [http://chicagoist.com/2005/02/17/millennium_park_photography_the_official_scoop.php Millennium Park Photography: The Official Scoop] , "The Chicagoist",February 17 ,2005 .
* [http://www.copyright.org.au/information/specialinterest/G011.pdf Information Sheet G11] from the Australian Copyright Council. See p. 6 on photographing buildings or artworks displayed in public places.
*MacPherson, L.: " [http://www.sirimo.co.uk/media/UKPhotographersRights.pdf Photographer's Rights in the UK] ".
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