2.6.1.5 Joint authorship

Two or more authors can create a work together. They can either jointly create a work (Art. 7 CopA), or each of them can create their own work independently, which are all subsequently put together to create a joint work.

In the case of works which can no longer be separated into independently usable parts, the term of protection for joint works is usually calculated on the basis of the date of death of the last surviving author. Only in the case of films and other audiovisual works is the term measured after the date of death of one author, namely the director. According to the general term of protection, the terms are respectively 50 years in the case of computer programs and 70 years in the case of all other works after the death of the author (Art. 30 Para. 1 CopA).

The term of protection for joint works which can be separated into individual, independent works is measured on the basis of the date of death of the author of the respective part, then again by 70 years (or by 50 years in the case of computer programs) (Art. 30 Para. 2 CopA).