In general, Denmark offers adequate protection for intellectual property rights.  According to the Danish Copyright Act, anyone who produces a literary or artistic work has copyright on that work.  The copyright holder has the sole right to control the work by producing copies of it and making it available to the public.  Copyright on a work e.g., music, literature, film, photo, etc.) lasts for 70 years after the copyright holder’s death.

Other groups of people with rights also enjoy protection under the Danish Copyright Act: performing artists, record and film producers, radio and TV broadcasters, and photographers, as well as catalogues and databases.  For related rights, the copyright lasts for 50 years after it is set (i.e., the recording or broadcast is made).  For catalogues and databases, however, the protection only lasts until 15 years have passed from the end of the year in which the work was first made available to the public.

The copyright originates when the work is created, and the legal protection comes into force without any formal requirements having to be met.  There is therefore no public register in which copyright is registered.

Key link and more information:  https://europa.eu/youreurope/business/running-business/intellectual-property/index_en.htm

See Section VI for a list of the international conventions and treaties concerning intellectual property to which Denmark adheres.

In any foreign market, companies should consider several general principles for effective management of their intellectual property.  For background on these principles please link to the following article on Protecting Intellectual Property and Stopfakes.gov, or contact ITA’s Office of Intellectual Property Rights Director, Stevan Mitchell, Stevan.Mitchell@trade.gov.

For additional information on the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights, visit the U.S.  Investment Climate Statement website.