Selected year snapshot
For 2023, the active event in this file is Copyright Act, 2003 (No. 22 of 2003).
100%
Current rationale
As of 2025, the Copyright Act 2003 (No. 22 of 2003) remains the operative copyright statute in Antigua and Barbuda. No amending legislation affecting the research/private study exceptions has been identified via web search. Section 59(1) continues to provide fair dealing for research or private study covering literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, open to any user, covering any act of dealing (not limited to reproduction). This remains GREEN. There is no TDM-specific exception. The library exceptions in Sections 67-68 remain in force but are less permissive than the general fair dealing provision. Classification-neutral factors were not considered in the color assignment.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work for the purposes of research or private study does not infringe copyright
Things done for purposes of instruction or examination
Librarian may make and supply copy of article or reasonable proportion of published work for research or private study
Librarian may make and supply copy to another library
Law changes
Copyright Act, 1911 (United Kingdom), as applied to Antigua and Barbuda
Baseline · Effective 1990-01-01
?
Dates: Effective 1990-01-01
Why this score
On 1990-01-01, Antigua and Barbuda's copyright law was governed by the UK Copyright Act 1911, which had been extended to the colony and remained in force after independence in 1981 until repealed by the Copyright Act 2003. The 1911 Act contained a 'fair dealing' provision in Section 2(1)(i) permitting fair dealing with any work for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review, or newspaper summary. This would ordinarily classify as GREEN (fair dealing open to any user, any work, covering any exclusive right). However, I was unable to retrieve and verify the actual statutory text of the 1911 Act as applied in Antigua and Barbuda on 1990-01-01 via web search, nor confirm whether any local amendments had been made. The Copyright Act 2003 explicitly states it repeals 'the Copyright Act of 1911 of the United Kingdom in so far as it applies to Antigua and Barbuda' and 'the Copyright Act Cap. 104,' confirming the 1911 Act was in force prior to 2003. Without verified statutory text, AMBIGUOUS is assigned.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with any work for purposes of private study, research, criticism, review, or newspaper summary — as understood from the UK 1911 Act, but text not verified as applied in Antigua and Barbuda
Copyright Act, 2003 (No. 22 of 2003)
Relevant update · Effective 2003-12-31
100%
Relevant section: Sections 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 67, 68
Dates: Effective 2003-12-31 · Enacted 2003-12-18
Why this score
Section 59(1) provides a fair dealing exception for research or private study covering literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic works. The term 'fair dealing' covers any exclusive right (not limited to reproduction), is open to any user (no restriction to individuals or institutions), and covers all major categories of works (literary, dramatic, musical, artistic). There is no 'private' or 'personal' qualifier on the research purpose — 'research or private study' lists research as an independent purpose. This maps to GREEN. Additional exceptions exist: Section 60 (things done for purposes of instruction or examination), Section 61 (anthologies for educational use), Section 62 (performing, playing or showing work in course of activities of educational establishment), Section 63 (recording by educational establishments of broadcasts), Section 67 (librarian may make and supply copy of article in periodical or part of published work for research or private study), Section 68 (librarian may make copy for other libraries). The fair dealing provision in Section 59(1) is the most permissive. Classification-neutral factors (non-commercial restriction, copy limits, etc.) were not factored into the color decision. Note: Section 59(1) covers literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works but not explicitly sound recordings, films, or broadcasts as standalone categories; however, 'fair dealing' with these underlying work types effectively covers research use of most copyrighted material. The breadth of 'fair dealing' (covering any act of dealing, not just reproduction) and its openness to any user for research justifies GREEN.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work for the purposes of research or private study does not infringe copyright in the work
Things done for purposes of instruction or examination — copying in the course of instruction (not by reprographic process), setting examination questions, answering examination questions
Librarian may make and supply a copy of an article in a periodical or a reasonable proportion of any other published work to a person for purposes of research or private study, subject to conditions
Librarian may make and supply to another library a copy of an article in a periodical or the whole or part of a published edition for purposes of that library
Original text
59. (1) Fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work for the purposes of research or private study does not infringe any copyright in the work or, in the case of a published edition, in the typographical arrangement. (2) Fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work does not infringe any copyright in the work if it is for the purposes of criticism or review, of that or another work or of a performance of a work, and is accompanied by a sufficient acknowledgement. (3) Fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work does not infringe any copyright in the work if it is for the purpose of reporting current events and is accompanied by a sufficient acknowledgement.
Source links
Copyright Act, 2003 (No. 22 of 2003)
Current law confirmation · Effective 2003-12-31
100%
Relevant section: Sections 59, 60, 67, 68
Dates: Effective 2003-12-31 · Enacted 2003-12-18
Why this score
As of 2025, the Copyright Act 2003 (No. 22 of 2003) remains the operative copyright statute in Antigua and Barbuda. No amending legislation affecting the research/private study exceptions has been identified via web search. Section 59(1) continues to provide fair dealing for research or private study covering literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, open to any user, covering any act of dealing (not limited to reproduction). This remains GREEN. There is no TDM-specific exception. The library exceptions in Sections 67-68 remain in force but are less permissive than the general fair dealing provision. Classification-neutral factors were not considered in the color assignment.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work for the purposes of research or private study does not infringe copyright
Things done for purposes of instruction or examination
Librarian may make and supply copy of article or reasonable proportion of published work for research or private study
Librarian may make and supply copy to another library
Original text
59. (1) Fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work for the purposes of research or private study does not infringe any copyright in the work or, in the case of a published edition, in the typographical arrangement.