Att köpa och sälja en mp3 – Finns det i dag en unionsrättslig upphovsrättslig digital konsumtionsprincip?
(2014) LAGF03 20142Faculty of Law
Department of Law
- Abstract (Swedish)
- Denna uppsats försöker belysa huruvida en digital konsumtionsprincip inom EU finns, och om en sådan inte finns ifall den kan skapas och huruvida det ens är lämpligt. Konsumtionsprincipen gör det möjligt för en konsument att sälja vidare upphovsrättsskyddat material utan att en upphovsrättsinnehavare kan hindra detta med hänvisning till sin exklusiva spridningsrätt. Traditionellt har denna princip enbart omfattat fysiska varor.
Trots detta slog EU-domstolen i Usedsoft-målet fast att datorprogram eller mjukvara som sålts digitalt omfattas av konsumtionsprincipen. Den etikett företag ger avtalsförhållandet ansågs av domstolen vara irrelevant och man ansåg att när äganderätten övergår till konsumenten mot en rimlig ersättning har en... (More) - Denna uppsats försöker belysa huruvida en digital konsumtionsprincip inom EU finns, och om en sådan inte finns ifall den kan skapas och huruvida det ens är lämpligt. Konsumtionsprincipen gör det möjligt för en konsument att sälja vidare upphovsrättsskyddat material utan att en upphovsrättsinnehavare kan hindra detta med hänvisning till sin exklusiva spridningsrätt. Traditionellt har denna princip enbart omfattat fysiska varor.
Trots detta slog EU-domstolen i Usedsoft-målet fast att datorprogram eller mjukvara som sålts digitalt omfattas av konsumtionsprincipen. Den etikett företag ger avtalsförhållandet ansågs av domstolen vara irrelevant och man ansåg att när äganderätten övergår till konsumenten mot en rimlig ersättning har en försäljning skett. En spridning ansågs ha skett snarare än en överföring, vilket gjorde konsumtionsprincipen tillämplig på materialet.
Efter Usedsoft har två särskilt intressanta fall om konsumtion av digitalt upphovsrättsskyddat material avgjorts, VZBZ-målet i Tyskland och Redigi i USA. I VZBZ fann domstolen att Usedsoft inte var tillämplig på digitalt upphovsrättsskyddat material. Redigi å andra sidan förnekade konsumtion av materialet på den grunden att ett olovligt mångfaldigande skett i transaktionen.
En digital konsumtionsprincip för upphovsrättsskyddat material verkar i dag inte finns, och ifall den funnits utgör upphovsrättsdirektivets mångfaldigandebestämmelser ett väsentligt hinder för en eventuell tillämplighet av en sådan ordning. Oavsett är det möjligt att se en vilja från EU-domstolens sida att skapa en digital konsumtionsprincip i den fria rörlighetens namn. Samtidigt kan lämpligheten att likställa fysiska med digitala varor på detta vis ifrågasättas sett till dess väsensskilda karaktärer. (Less) - Abstract
- This essay aims to shine light on whether a digital exhaustion doctrine can be said to exist within the EU, and if not whether it could be created and whether this is even suitable. The exhaustion doctrine gives a consumer the right to sell copyrighted materials without the copyright holder being able to stop this with reference to the exclusive distribution right. Traditionally, exhaustion has only concerned physical goods.
Despite this the European Court of Justice in its Usedsoft case found that computer programs or software that has been sold digitally could be exhausted. The label given to the contractual obligation in question was considered irrelevant and it was deemed that when ownership of the good is traded to the consumer in... (More) - This essay aims to shine light on whether a digital exhaustion doctrine can be said to exist within the EU, and if not whether it could be created and whether this is even suitable. The exhaustion doctrine gives a consumer the right to sell copyrighted materials without the copyright holder being able to stop this with reference to the exclusive distribution right. Traditionally, exhaustion has only concerned physical goods.
Despite this the European Court of Justice in its Usedsoft case found that computer programs or software that has been sold digitally could be exhausted. The label given to the contractual obligation in question was considered irrelevant and it was deemed that when ownership of the good is traded to the consumer in exchange of a reasonable renumeration a sale has been made. A distribution rather than communication to the public was found, and the exhaustion doctrine was considered applicable.
Since Usedsoft two especially interesting cases in regards to exhaustion of digital copyrighted materials have been decided, the German VZBZ case and the American Redigi case. In VZBZ the court found that Usedsoft was not applicable in regards to digital copyrighted goods. Redigi on the other hand denied exhaustion on the grounds that an illegal reproduction had occured.
A digital exhaustion doctrine seemingly does not exist, and if it would have existed the exclusive right of reproduction in the InfoSoc directive would amount to a considerable problem for such a doctrine. Either way, it is possible to discern a will from the Court of Justice to enable a digital exhaustion doctrine, in the name of the free movement of goods. Even so, any equivalency made between digital and physical goods should perhaps be questioned in light of their fundamental differences. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/4925097
- author
- Högstedt, Fredrik LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- LAGF03 20142
- year
- 2014
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- Immaterialrätt, konsumtionsprincipen
- language
- Swedish
- id
- 4925097
- date added to LUP
- 2015-02-02 15:03:23
- date last changed
- 2015-02-02 15:03:23
@misc{4925097,
abstract = {{This essay aims to shine light on whether a digital exhaustion doctrine can be said to exist within the EU, and if not whether it could be created and whether this is even suitable. The exhaustion doctrine gives a consumer the right to sell copyrighted materials without the copyright holder being able to stop this with reference to the exclusive distribution right. Traditionally, exhaustion has only concerned physical goods.
Despite this the European Court of Justice in its Usedsoft case found that computer programs or software that has been sold digitally could be exhausted. The label given to the contractual obligation in question was considered irrelevant and it was deemed that when ownership of the good is traded to the consumer in exchange of a reasonable renumeration a sale has been made. A distribution rather than communication to the public was found, and the exhaustion doctrine was considered applicable.
Since Usedsoft two especially interesting cases in regards to exhaustion of digital copyrighted materials have been decided, the German VZBZ case and the American Redigi case. In VZBZ the court found that Usedsoft was not applicable in regards to digital copyrighted goods. Redigi on the other hand denied exhaustion on the grounds that an illegal reproduction had occured.
A digital exhaustion doctrine seemingly does not exist, and if it would have existed the exclusive right of reproduction in the InfoSoc directive would amount to a considerable problem for such a doctrine. Either way, it is possible to discern a will from the Court of Justice to enable a digital exhaustion doctrine, in the name of the free movement of goods. Even so, any equivalency made between digital and physical goods should perhaps be questioned in light of their fundamental differences.}},
author = {{Högstedt, Fredrik}},
language = {{swe}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Att köpa och sälja en mp3 – Finns det i dag en unionsrättslig upphovsrättslig digital konsumtionsprincip?}},
year = {{2014}},
}