Auteursrecht (literally: author law) is the Dutch term for copyright.
Here are some things that you need to know about copyright in the Netherlands:
- Copyright expires seventy years after the death of the creator, after which time the work becomes part of the public domain.
- Copyright requires originality. There is no copyright on a truthful reproduction of a record in the public domain. The provider of the scan can set limits on reuse in the terms of use of the website, but this is rare in the Netherlands.
- Copyright is automatic. An author doesn’t need to place a copyright notice on the work or register it somewhere to claim copyright.
- There is no “fair use” doctrine in Dutch law. There is a right to quote, which is more limited than fair use in other countries. The quoted material may only be a minor part of the work.
- In general, works created by the government are free of copyright. Under the reuse of government information law, anybody is entitled to receive a copy at cost price.
(and I am not a lawyer, yada yada so don’t take my word for it but consult a lawyer if you have any questions)
Writer behind his desk. Credits: Willem van de Poll, collection Nationaal Archief (public domain)
About Yvette Hoitink
