Copyright and Electronic Document Delivery Services Available to Purchase

Based on a background study prepared by the Institute for Information Law at the University of Amsterdam for the European Commission, DG XIII‐E/3, Luxemburg. The rapid growth of electronic document delivery services has created a number of complex copyright related problems. Are abstracts and bibliographical data protected? Are electronic storage,transmission and delivery‐on‐demand restricted acts? Do existing copyright limitations (library privileges, reprographic exemptions)apply in a digital environment? These and other copyright related issues are discussed from a primarily European perspective. In conclusion, some legislative and contractual solutions are discussed: European harmonization of copyright exemptions, statutory licensing, collective administration of rights, collective licensing, direct licensing.