Copyright notes

Copyright notes

Per U.S. Circ. 38a., Iraq is not a participant in the Berne Convention or any other treaty on copyright with the United States.

As such, works published by citizens of Iraq in Iraq are usually not subject to copyright protection outside of these countries. Hence, such works may be in the public domain in most other countries worldwide.

However
  • Works published in Iraq by citizens or permanent residents of other countries that are signatories to the Berne Convention or any other treaty on copyright will still be protected in their home country and internationally as well as locally by local copyright law.
  • Similarly, works published outside of Iraq within 30 days of publication within these countries will also usually be subject to protection in the foreign country of publication. When works are subject to copyright outside of these countries, the term of such copyright protection may exceed the term of copyright inside them.
  • Unpublished works from these countries may be fully copyrighted.
  • A work from Iraq may become copyrighted in the United States under the URAA if Iraq enters a copyright treaty or agreement with the United States and the work is still under copyright in Iraq.

Iraq has enacted Law No. 3 of 1971 on Copyright (Arabic) which came into force on 21 January 1971. Iraq has enacted Regulation No. 10 of 1985 on the National Committee for the Protection of Copyright (Arabic) which came into force on 2 September 1985. Iraq has enacted Order No. 83, Amendment to the Copyright Law (Arabic) (unofficial English (WIPO) translation) which came into force on 1 May 2004.