• Home
  • Imprint
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms
  • Agile and lean law firm
  • Ideal partner
  • Contact
  • Videos
ITMediaLaw - Rechtsanwalt Marian Härtel
  • en English
  • de Deutsch
  • About lawyer Marian Härtel
    • About lawyer Marian Härtel
      • Ideal partner
      • About lawyer Marian Härtel
      • Video series – about me
      • Why a lawyer and business consultant?
      • Principles as a lawyer
      • Focus on start-ups
      • Nerd und Rechtsanwalt
      • Ideal partner
      • How can I help clients?
    • Über die Kanzlei
      • How clients benefit from my network of colleagues, partners and service providers
      • Quick and flexible access
      • Agile and lean law firm
      • Team: Saskia Härtel – WHO AM I?
      • Price overview
    • How can I help clients?
    • Sonstige Informationen
      • Einwilligungen widerrufen
      • Privatsphäre-Einstellungen ändern
      • Historie der Privatsphäre-Einstellungen
      • Privacy policy
    • Testimonials
    • Imprint
  • Leistungen
    • Focus areas of attorney Marian Härtel
      • Support with the foundation
      • Games law consulting
      • Advice in e-commerce
      • Support and advice of agencies
      • Legal advice in corporate law: from incorporation to structuring
      • Legal compliance and expert opinions
      • Streamers and influencers
      • Cryptocurrencies, Blockchain and Games
      • Outsourcing – for companies or law firms
    • Arbeitsschwerpunkte
      • Games and esports law
        • Esports. What is it?
      • Corporate law
      • IT/IP Law
      • Consulting for influencers and streamers
        • Influencer & Streamer
      • Contract review and preparation
      • DLT and Blockchain consulting
        • Blockchain Overview
      • Investment advice
      • AI and SaaS
  • Artikel/News
    • Langartikel / Guides
    • Law and computer games
    • Law and Esport
    • Law on the Internet
    • Blockchain and web law
    • Online retail
    • Data protection Law
    • Copyright
    • Competition law
    • Copyright
    • EU law
    • Law on the protection of minors
    • Labour law
    • Tax
    • Kanzlei News
    • Other
  • Videos/Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Podcast
      • ITMediaLaw Podcast
      • ITMediaLaw Kurz-Podcast
  • Knowledge base
  • Contact
Kurzberatung
  • About lawyer Marian Härtel
    • About lawyer Marian Härtel
      • Ideal partner
      • About lawyer Marian Härtel
      • Video series – about me
      • Why a lawyer and business consultant?
      • Principles as a lawyer
      • Focus on start-ups
      • Nerd und Rechtsanwalt
      • Ideal partner
      • How can I help clients?
    • Über die Kanzlei
      • How clients benefit from my network of colleagues, partners and service providers
      • Quick and flexible access
      • Agile and lean law firm
      • Team: Saskia Härtel – WHO AM I?
      • Price overview
    • How can I help clients?
    • Sonstige Informationen
      • Einwilligungen widerrufen
      • Privatsphäre-Einstellungen ändern
      • Historie der Privatsphäre-Einstellungen
      • Privacy policy
    • Testimonials
    • Imprint
  • Leistungen
    • Focus areas of attorney Marian Härtel
      • Support with the foundation
      • Games law consulting
      • Advice in e-commerce
      • Support and advice of agencies
      • Legal advice in corporate law: from incorporation to structuring
      • Legal compliance and expert opinions
      • Streamers and influencers
      • Cryptocurrencies, Blockchain and Games
      • Outsourcing – for companies or law firms
    • Arbeitsschwerpunkte
      • Games and esports law
        • Esports. What is it?
      • Corporate law
      • IT/IP Law
      • Consulting for influencers and streamers
        • Influencer & Streamer
      • Contract review and preparation
      • DLT and Blockchain consulting
        • Blockchain Overview
      • Investment advice
      • AI and SaaS
  • Artikel/News
    • Langartikel / Guides
    • Law and computer games
    • Law and Esport
    • Law on the Internet
    • Blockchain and web law
    • Online retail
    • Data protection Law
    • Copyright
    • Competition law
    • Copyright
    • EU law
    • Law on the protection of minors
    • Labour law
    • Tax
    • Kanzlei News
    • Other
  • Videos/Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Podcast
      • ITMediaLaw Podcast
      • ITMediaLaw Kurz-Podcast
  • Knowledge base
  • Contact
ITMediaLaw - Rechtsanwalt Marian Härtel
Home Copyright

Kraftwerk, sound sequences, copyright – The Neverending Story now at the ECJ

18. September 2023
in Copyright
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0 0
A A
0
copyright
Key Facts
  • The Federal Court of Justice refers questions on the definition of pastiche to the ECJ for clarification in copyright matters.
  • The plaintiffs are members of the music group Kraftwerk, who released the song "Metall auf Metall" in 1977.
  • Defendants sampled two seconds from "Metall auf Metall" for the track "Nur mir", which led to a legal dispute.
  • The BGH initially dismissed the action and referred the case back for a new decision.
  • The proceedings revolve around the definition of pastiche in the context of sampling and copyright protection.
  • The relevant question is whether the use for a pastiche requires an intention on the part of the user or simply recognizability.
  • The case could have far-reaching implications for artistic freedom and the rights of authors.

The German Federal Court of Justice has decided to refer questions to the Court of Justice of the European Union for clarification of the copyright concept of pastiche.

Content Hide
1. Facts:
2. Previous process history:
3. Decision of the Federal Court of Justice:

Facts:

The first plaintiff and the former second plaintiff, who died on April 21, 2020 and whose legal successor is the current second plaintiff, were members of the music group “Kraftwerk”. The latter released a record in 1977, on which the musical piece “Metal on Metal” can be found. Defendants 2 and 3 are the composers of the title “Nur mir” (“Only Me”), which defendant 1 recorded with singer Sabrina Setlur on recordings released in 1997.

To produce the title, the defendants had electronically copied (“sampled”) two seconds of a rhythm sequence from the title “Metal on Metal” and added it to the title “Only Me” in continuous repetition.

The plaintiffs regard this as an infringement of their rights as producers of sound recordings and of the copyright of the first plaintiff. They have filed a claim against the defendants for an injunction to produce and market sound recordings with the recording “Nur mir”. They also demanded a declaration that the defendant was liable for damages, the provision of information, and the surrender of the sound recordings for the purpose of destruction.

Previous process history:

The district court upheld the action. The defendant’s appeal has been unsuccessful. On appeal by the defendant, the Federal Court of Justice reversed the judgment on appeal and referred the case back to the Higher Regional Court for a new hearing and decision.

The Higher Regional Court again dismissed the defendant’s appeal. The Federal Court of Justice rejected the defendant’s renewed appeal. The Federal Constitutional Court overturned the appeal judgments and the second appeal judgment and referred the case back to the Federal Court of Justice. The latter then referred questions to the Court of Justice of the European Union on the interpretation of Directive 2001/29/EC on the harmonization of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society and Directive 2006/115/EC on rental right and lending right and on certain rights related to copyright in the field of intellectual property, which the Court answered in its judgment of July 29, 2019.

By the third appeal judgment, the Senate reversed the decision of the Court of Appeal on the appeal of the defendant and referred the case back to the Court of Appeal for a new hearing and decision. The Court of Appeal then amended the judgment of the Regional Court to the effect that the defendants were ordered to provide information on the number of sound recordings of the title “Nur mir” produced and/or delivered between December 22, 2002 and June 7, 2021 and to surrender copies of these sound recordings for the purpose of destruction, while dismissing the further action, and that their obligation to pay damages was established in this respect.

The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal insofar as it found to the detriment of the plaintiffs with regard to the claims asserted from June 7, 2021. In their appeal, which the defendants request be dismissed, the plaintiffs continue to pursue their claims asserted in the action from June 7, 2021.

Decision of the Federal Court of Justice:

The Federal Court of Justice has now suspended the proceedings again and referred questions to the Court of Justice of the European Union on the interpretation of Directive 2001/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of May 22, 2001 on the harmonization of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society.

The appeal is successful if the Court of Appeal wrongly assumed that the claims asserted by the plaintiffs are excluded as of June 7, 2021, because the adoption of the rhythm sequence from the title “Metal on Metal” by way of sampling is a permissible use for the purpose of pastiche pursuant to Section 51a sentence 1 UrhG in the version applicable as of June 7, 2021, so that there is no infringement of the ancillary copyrights asserted by the plaintiffs as producers of sound recordings or performing artists and of the copyright of the first plaintiff.

This is what matters in the dispute because the musical piece “Nur mir” does not meet the requirements of a caricature or parody of the musical piece “Metall auf Metall” for lack of expression of humor or mockery (see BGHZ 225, 222 [juris, marginal no. 63] – Metall auf Metall IV).

In the view of the Federal Court of Justice, the first question is whether the restriction on use for the purpose of pastiches within the meaning of Art. 5 para. 3(k) of Directive 2001/29/EC is a catch-all provision in any case for an artistic treatment of a pre-existing work or other object of reference, including sampling, and whether restrictive criteria such as the requirement of humor, imitation of style or homage apply to the concept of pastiche.

The pastiche barrier could be understood as a general barrier to artistic freedom, which is necessary because artistic freedom cannot be given the necessary scope in all cases solely due to the immanent limitation of the scope of protection of exploitation rights to a use of works and performances in a recognizable form (cf. ECJ, GRUR 2019, 929 [juris para. 31] – Pelham et al.) and the other barrier regulations such as parody, caricature and quotation in particular. The technique of “electronic copying of audio fragments” (sampling) at issue here, in which a user takes an audio fragment from a sound carrier and uses it to create a new work, is a form of artistic expression that falls under the freedom of art protected by Art. 13 EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (ECJ, GRUR 2019, 929 [juris marginal no. 35] – Pelham et al.; on Art. 5 (3) sentence 1 GG cf. BVerfGE 142, 74 [juris marginal no. 89]).

The rights of authors, phonogram producers and performers under Art. 2 and 3 of Directive 2001/29/EC enjoy intellectual property protection under Art. 17 para. 2 EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The objective of an appropriate balance of rights and interests is supported by the principle of equal treatment set forth in Art. 5 Par. 5 of Directive 2001/29/EC takes into account the “three-step test”, the requirements of which are met according to the findings of the Court of Appeal.

Next, according to the Federal Court of Justice, the further question arises as to whether the use “for the purpose” of a pastiche within the meaning of Art. 5 para. 3(k) of Directive 2001/29/EC requires a finding of an intention on the part of the user to use an object of copyright protection for the purpose of a pastiche, or whether the recognizability of its character as a pastiche is sufficient for a person who is aware of the referenced object of copyright protection and who has the intellectual understanding necessary to perceive the pastiche.

Tags: billDamagesEuFederal constitutional courtFederal courtJudgmentLawsuitTestUrheberrecht

Beliebte Beträge

Erotic content on OnlyFans: Copyright and personality rights protection for creators

Erotic content on OnlyFans: Copyright and personality rights protection for creators
20. May 2025

OnlyFans has established itself as a platform on which content creators - often in the erotic sector - offer their...

Read moreDetails

Memes, remixes and reaction videos legal? – Copyright 2025: Parody and pastiche exception

Memes, remixes and reaction videos legal? – Copyright 2025: Parody and pastiche exception
9. May 2025

Memes, remix videos and reaction videos have become an integral part of online culture - but are such memes legal...

Read moreDetails

Legally compliant contract drafting for software development on no-code platforms

Legally compliant contract drafting for software development on no-code platforms
26. April 2025

No-code and low-code platforms enable start-ups and agencies to develop software and digital products quickly and without in-depth programming knowledge....

Read moreDetails

Open source in software development: legal principles and practice

Open source in software development: legal principles and practice
17. April 2025

Open source software has become an integral part of modern software development - whether in the development of computer games(game...

Read moreDetails

Contracts with co-development studios: IP splitting, rights allocation and risk allocation

Contracts with co-development studios: IP splitting, rights allocation and risk allocation
23. April 2025

International collaboration in software and game development offers great opportunities - from shared expertise to faster product creation. However, co-development...

Read moreDetails

Unjustified IP warning: What to do with strikes on social media?

copyright
23. January 2025

Content creators on platforms such as Instagram, YouTube or Twitch are increasingly confronted with legal challenges that go far beyond...

Read moreDetails

Property rights to algorithms: Typical questions and legal answers

ECJ: Advocate General assesses sampling as copyright infringement
15. January 2025

Time and again, clients ask the question: "Who actually owns the rights to an algorithm?" This question is not only...

Read moreDetails

Influencer marketing contracts & content creator law

cc4cbb3206a631e8b56c3bdf22a57e6c
8. December 2024

When I founded JustGamers 25 years ago, "influencers" were still the gaming magazines that reported on new computer games in...

Read moreDetails

License agreements for software start-ups

License agreements for software start-ups: How to optimally protect your intellectual property
13. October 2024

For software start-ups, intellectual property is often the most valuable asset. The correct drafting of license agreements is therefore crucial...

Read moreDetails
  • Home
  • Imprint
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms
  • Agile and lean law firm
  • Ideal partner
  • Contact
  • Videos
Marian Härtel, Rathenaustr. 58a, 14612 Falkensee, info@itmedialaw.com

Marian Härtel - Rechtsanwalt für IT-Recht, Medienrecht und Startups, mit einem Fokus auf innovative Geschäftsmodelle, Games, KI und Finanzierungsberatung.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
  • Contact
  • Leistungen
    • Support with the foundation
    • Focus areas of attorney Marian Härtel
    • Consulting for influencers and streamers
    • Advice in e-commerce
    • DLT and Blockchain consulting
    • Games law consulting
    • Support and advice of agencies
    • Legal advice in corporate law: from incorporation to structuring
    • Cryptocurrencies, Blockchain and Games
    • Investment advice
    • Booking as speaker
    • Legal compliance and expert opinions
    • Legal advice in corporate law: from incorporation to structuring
    • Contract review and preparation
  • About lawyer Marian Härtel
    • About lawyer Marian Härtel
    • Agile and lean law firm
    • Focus on start-ups
    • Principles as a lawyer
    • The everyday life of an IT lawyer
    • How can I help clients?
    • Why a lawyer and business consultant?
    • Focus on start-ups
    • How can I help clients?
    • Team: Saskia Härtel – WHO AM I?
    • Testimonials
    • Imprint
  • Videos
    • Video series – about me
    • Information videos – about Marian Härtel
    • Videos on services
    • Blogpost – individual videos
    • Shorts
    • Third-party videos
    • Podcast format
    • Other videos
  • Knowledge base
  • Podcast
  • Blogposts
    • Lange Artikel / Ausführungen
    • Law on the Internet
    • Online retail
    • Law and computer games
    • Law and Esport
    • Blockchain and web law
    • Data protection Law
    • Labour law
    • EU law
    • Corporate
    • Competition law
    • Copyright
    • Tax
    • Internally
    • Other
  • en English
  • de Deutsch
Kostenlose Kurzberatung