LATEST COPYRIGHT CASES FROM THE ECDR

The March 2005 issue of Sweet & Maxwell's European Copyright and Design Reports contains seven cases, several being available for the first time in English. Cases include

* Bild-Kunst v Focus (Bundesgerichtshof, Germany): on whether the parodic use of a typically German representation of an eagle is permitted;

Watch the birdie -- but don't take too many liberties with it or you may be sued

* Paperboy (Bundesgerichtshof, Germany): another case dealing with the legality under copyright and database right of a website providing a news service that links through to copyright-protected third party web pages;

* Hundertwasser-Haus (Bundesgerichtshof, Germany): unauthorised postcards made from photos of buildings situated in public places;

* Copyright and Communications Advisory Agency v Latvian Radio (Supreme Court, Latvia): another spat over unpaid licence royalties owed to a collecting society.

Other cases in this issue are Case C-88/04 European Commission v United Kingdom (UK castigated for failing to implement Information Society directive in Gibraltar), Sawkins v Hyperion (copyright exists in edited version of ancient musical works) and Griggs v Evans (No. 2), a fascinating analysis of the extent to which a British court can make rulings that determine ownership of copyright outside the jurisdiction.