The amended Copyright Law No. 3 of 1971, Order No. 83 issued by the Coalition Provisional Authority on April 29, 2004, governs the mechanism of copyright protection in Iraq.
For obtaining copyright protection, the publishers of copyrightable works are required to deposit copies of the work with the Ministry of Culture. Protection is granted to every IP-related work of art irrespective of its type, method of expression, importance, and purpose.
The author’s economic rights provided for in this Law are protected throughout the life of the author and for fifty (50) years from the date of his death.
The economic rights relating to works of joint authorship are protected throughout the lives of all co-authors and for fifty (50) years from the death of the last survivor.
The economic rights of the author of a work of applied art expire after a period of fifty (50) years from the date on which the work was published or made available to the public for the first time, whichever comes first. Performers enjoy an exclusive economic right for the exploitation of their performances for a period of fifty (50) years calculated from the date on which the performance or the recording took place, as may be the case.
Producers of sound recordings enjoy an exclusive economic right to exploit their recordings for a period of fifty (50) years calculated from the date on which the recording was made or made public, whichever comes first.
Broadcasting organizations enjoy an exclusive right to exploit their programs for a period of fifty (50) years calculated from the date on which the program was broadcast for the first time.
