Theory and practice of intellectual property
№ 3 / 2026

ISSN (Print) 2308-0361
ISSN (Online) 2519-2744

PDF (Ukrainian)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33731/tpip.2026.3.7

Submitted     2026-07-22
Accepted      2026-08-10
Published      2026-09-10

Features of the protection of rights in photographic works and non-original photographs under EU law

Valentyna Trotska
Ph.D. (Law),
Head of the sector of the disposal of copyright and related rights
of the Copyright and Related Rights Department,
Intellectual Property Scientific Research Institute
of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine
Kyiv, Ukraine
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7579-1877

Abstract
The article is devoted to a comprehensive comparative legal analysis of the norms of EU Member States’laws in the field of copyright, specifically: the rules governing the protection of rights in photographs that possess elements of originality and simple photographs that lack such elements. The systems for the protection of rights in photographs that have developed in EU Member States are summarised: the monistic, the dualistic and tripartite systems. The distinctive features of each system are identified according  to the laws of EU Member States, and common and differing approaches established by them regarding the legal regime for the protection of rights to non-original photographs have been analysed. It has been established that in EU Member States where protection of rights to non-original photographs is provided for, the scope of such protection is limited compared to the protection of rights to photographic works. It was concluded that there are differences in the protection of rights to non-original photographs across EU Member States. This does not promote legal certainty and has a negative impact on the market for the distribution of such photographs.

Keywords: copyright, related rights, legal protection, photographs, the criterion of originality, laws of EU Member States

References

D’Ammassa, G. (03.01.2014). Le opere fotografiche e le fotografie semplici. Diritto d’Autore.
https://www.dirittodautore.it/la-guida-al-diritto-dautore/loggetto-del-diritto-dautore/le-opere-fotografiche-e-le-fotografie-semplici/

D’Ammassa, G. (18.12.2025). Da oggi la durata dei diritti sulla fotografia semplice passa da venti a settant’anni. Diritto d’Autore.
https://www.dirittodautore.it/news/norme/da-oggi-la-durata-dei-diritti-sulla-fotografia-semplice-passa-da-venti-a-settantanni

De Angelis, D. (04.02.2026). Italy extends copyright protection for non-creative photographs. Common European data space for data space.  
https://www.dataspace-culturalheritage.eu/en/news/italy-extends-copyright-protection-for-non-creative-photographs

Fabris, D. (21.12.2022). Copyright Protection of Photographs: a Comparative Analysis Between France, Germany and Italy. Kluwer Copyright Blog.
https://legalblogs.wolterskluwer.com/copyright-blog/copyright-protection-of-photographs-a-comparative-analysis-between-france-germany-and-italy

Fassina, E. (28.08.2025). The protection of photographs in the Italian legal system. Jacobacci Avvocati.
https://www.jacobacci-law.com/news-and-publications/the-protection-of-photographs-in-the-italian-legal-system_en

Ferretti, N., & Perruzza, A. (2023). Navigating copyright protection for photographs in Italy. Nunziante. Magrone. Alert. Intellectual Property.
https://nunziantemagrone.it/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/230630-alert-ip-navigating-copyright-protection-for-photographs-in-italy.pdf

Gutiérrez García, E. (2023). La libertad de expresión artística de los fotógrafos:la protección de sus creaciones por la propiedad intelectual y como vía para la conservación del patrimonio cultural. Cultus Et Ius Revista De Derecho, Cultura Y Bellas Artes, 1, 32. 47-77.
https://doi.org/10.69592/2990-0255-N1-ABRIL-2023-ART3

Jankovič, M. (2024). The Originality Standard of Photographic Works in EU Copyright Law. Kluwer Law International.
https://law-store.wolterskluwer.com/s/product/originality-standard-of-photographic-works-in-eu-copyright-law/01tPg000009KZKbIAO?srsltid=AfmBOoqckLDD3w7qHw7bd1ahaiWJyt71LCvP7hBBKdGylyTKyUrH1ia7

Lavazza, M. (26.12.2025). Against the Extension of the Copyright Term on Non-Artistic Photographs in Italy.  The Ludwig Wittgenstein Project.
https://www.wittgensteinproject.org/w/index.php/Blog:Against_the_Extension_of_the_Copyright_Term_on_Non-Artistic_Photographs_in_Italy

Leanza, S. (30.01.2026). L`estensione a 70 anni dell diritto esclusivo sulle fotografia. Studio Previti Associazione Professionale.
https://www.previti.it/lestensione-70-anni-del-diritto-esclusivo-sulle-fotografie

Meyen, R. (08.12.2023). Petition: Abolish photographers’ “super right” under Section 72 UrhG. Marken medien meyen.
https://marken.legal/en/abolish-paragraph-72-urhg/

Pérez Martínez, S. (21.11.2024). Regimen legal de las fotográficas: son todas protegibles mediante derechos de autor? Croma Legal.
https://croma.legal/blog/regimen-legal-de-las-fotografias-son-todas-protegibles-mediante-derechos-de-autor

Старченко, О. (2025). Концепція оригінальності твору згідно з рішеннями Суду Справедливості Європейського Союзу. Теорія і практика інтелектуальної власності. 2, 5 – 12.
https://doi.org/10.33731/22025.332476