Jamaica: Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2015

July 30, 2015

Jamaica: The Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2015, was adopted on July 29, 2015, and came into force on July 30, 2015.

The Law amends the Copyright Act (Act No. 5 of 1993) and brings Jamaica's copyright law in compliance with the WCT, the WPPT and the Marrakesh Treaty. It introduces, inter alia, the following amendments: (i) it extends the term of copyright protection from 50 to 95 years for copyrighted works used in Jamaica, including in particular employee's works belonging to employers, and sound recordings and performances; (ii) it provides exceptions for disabled people to access materials that are protected by copyright; and (iii) confers the responsibility to the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office ("JIPO") for the administration of the Register of Copyright and Related Rights.