Copyrights General Information In Egypt

Member of Berne Convention

Yes.

Registration

Possible for nationals as well as foreigners.

Filing Requirements

1- Power of attorney, legalized.

2- Copy of registration form.

3- Copy of corresponding home or foreign registration certificate.

4- An original and 2 copies of the work of art.

5- Additional supporting material such as CDs, Video tapes, scenario of the play to be registered, and/or any other relevant material.

Registration Time Frame

The approximate time frame for completing the registration process is 7 working days.

Duration

Duration in general is the author's life plus 50 years following the author's date of death.

Works Protected

Books, booklets, articles, bulletins and any other written works; Computer programs; Databases, whether readable by computer or otherwise; Lectures, speeches, sermons and any other oral works when recorded; Dramatic and dramatico-musical works, and pantomimes; Musical works with or without words; Audiovisual works; Works of architecture; Works of drawings with lines or colors, sculpture, lithography, printing on textile and any other similar works of fine arts; Photographic and similar works; Works of applied and plastic arts; Illustrations. maps, sketches and three-dimensional works relating to geography, topography or architectural designs; Derivative works, without prejudice to the protection prescribed for the works from which they have been derived.

Limitations on Protection

Official documents, whatever their source or target language, such as laws, regulations, resolutions and decisions, international conventions, court decisions, award of arbitrators and decisions of administrative committees having judicial competence; News on current events which are mere press information.

Penalties

Penalties include payment of fines of up to 10,000 Pounds (around 1,800 US Dollars) as well as legal prosecution resulting in a maximum of 1 month imprisonment terms.