Copyright Directive 96/9/EC

The Copyright Directive 96/9/EC, also known as the Database Directive, aims to protect the legal rights of creators of databases in the European Union. It distinguishes between copyright protection for original databases and a separate "sui generis" right for databases that may not meet copyright criteria but involve significant investment in gathering or organizing data. This directive encourages the creation and sharing of databases while ensuring that creators can control the use of their work and benefit economically from it, thus fostering innovation and access to information.