The variation of the Austrian National Anthem by setting it to a modernised “rock-version” of the classic tune and by changing the line “You are home to great sons” to “You are home to great sons and daughters” for use in an information campaign by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education, Arts and Culture, does not infringe the rights of the copyright holder. According to the Supreme Court, the use by a Federal Ministry in an information campaign is covered by the contractual assignment of rights by the original lyrics’ author to the Republic of Austria and does not constitute a “commercial use”. The textual changes leave the meaning of the lyrics untouched, they fit the style of the rhythmised “rock-version” and do not disfigure the work.

The full summary of this case has been posted on Kluwer IP Law.


_____________________________

To make sure you do not miss out on regular updates from the Kluwer Copyright Blog, please subscribe here.


Kluwer IP Law

The 2022 Future Ready Lawyer survey showed that 79% of lawyers think that the importance of legal technology will increase for next year. With Kluwer IP Law you can navigate the increasingly global practice of IP law with specialized, local and cross-border information and tools from every preferred location. Are you, as an IP professional, ready for the future?

Learn how Kluwer IP Law can support you.

Kluwer IP Law
This page as PDF

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *