Book I: Copyright

The author enjoys, during his lifetime, the exclusive right to exploit his work in any form whatsoever and to derive a pecuniary profit therefrom. Upon the death of the author, this right continues for the benefit of his successors in title during the current calendar year and the following seventy years.

For collaborative works, the calendar year taken into consideration is that of the death of the last living of the collaborators. For audiovisual works, the calendar year taken into consideration is that of the death of the last living of the following collaborators: the author of the screenplay, the author of the spoken text, the author of the musical compositions with or without words specially created for the work, the…

For pseudonymous, anonymous or collective works, the term of the exclusive right is seventy years from 1 January of the calendar year following that in which the work was published. The date of publication is determined by any method of proof under ordinary law, and in particular by legal deposit. In the event that a pseudonymous, anonymous or collective work is published in instalments, the period runs from 1 January…

For posthumous works, the duration of the exclusive right is that set out in article L. 123-1. For posthumous works disclosed after the expiry of this period, the term of the exclusive right is twenty-five years from 1 January of the calendar year following that of publication. The right to exploit posthumous works belongs to the author’s successors in title if the work is disclosed during the period provided for…

During the period provided for in article L. 123-1, the surviving spouse, against whom there is no final judgment of legal separation, benefits, regardless of the matrimonial regime and independently of the rights he/she derives from the articles 756 to 757-3 and 764 to 766 of the Civil Code on the other assets of the estate, of the usufruct of the right of exploitation which the author has not disposed…