ABSTRACT
Unlike the interventions made or projected by the European Community in the fields of patent trade marks and design, it is difficult to draw any general conclusions and lessons with regard to the interventions in copyright. Inevitably in such a situation the Europeanisation of copyright is not only fragmented, but is created in those areas in which real political and economic need is perceived. The European input into the development of a protection of copyright and its associated rights has been more effective when dealing with particular situations, the protection of databases, and computer programs and the development of a longer term of protection, than it has when dealing with more general matters. The lack of capacity of European institutions to deal with larger issues is demonstrated by the history of the attempts to provide increased general protection for copyright and neighbouring rights.
