ABSTRACT
Copyright is the legal protection of the form in which certain types of creativity are executed. In a society in which literacy is so important it is commonly thought of as attaching to literary works, but this is a misconception, for copyright also attaches to music, drama, artistic works, and photographs, films, recordings. Two areas of copyright law have been particularly affected by Community intervention due to the ever growing technical and economic dimensions of the computer industry. The various strands prompting the introduction of the Council Directive on the legal protection of computer programs are clearly acknowledged in its recitals. Under the Directive member states are required to protect computer programs by copyright as literary works within the meaning of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works. Copyright protection is extended to the author of the work enjoying protection.
