4.2 Property right (uses of a work)

Pursuant to Art. 10 para. 1 CopA, authors have the exclusive right to decide whether, when and how their work is used. This refers to the author’s property right – only authors can decide on the (commercial) use of their work.

This right gives authors the opportunity to earn some money with their work, although they do not necessarily have to make a profit. By the same token, authors can use their work non-commercially (e.g. for social, cultural or church-related purposes). Finally, the fact that a work is used is what gives authors the opportunity to make their work available to a circle of users.

As the uses of a work are technology-neutral, the law also covers new possibilities of use (that are not yet known).

FAQ