Selected year snapshot
For 2002, the active event in this file is Copyright Act, 2000 (Act No. 8 of 2000, Chapter 252).
100%
Current rationale
Section 67(1) provides an unqualified fair dealing exception for the purposes of research or private study. The term 'fair dealing with a work' covers any exclusive right (not only reproduction), applies to all types of works, and is not restricted to any particular class of user (individuals, institutions, etc.). There is no 'private' or 'personal' qualifier on the research purpose — 'research' and 'private study' are listed as separate purposes. This is a classic fair dealing provision modeled on UK law. Additionally, sections 68-73 provide further exceptions for educational use, library copying, etc., but section 67(1) is the most permissive. Uses: covers any dealing (reproduction, communication, etc.). Works: all works. Users: any user. This maps to GREEN. The non-commercial nature of research is not a factor in classification per the rules. No TDM-specific exception exists.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a work for the purposes of research or private study — no infringement of copyright
Fair dealing for criticism or review with sufficient acknowledgement
Reproduction for educational purposes — copying for illustration in teaching
Library and archival copying — reproduction by librarians for users and for preservation
Reproduction for personal and private use
Law changes
Copyright Act, Chapter 252
Baseline · Effective 1990-01-01
?
Relevant section: Sections 67–71
Dates: Effective 1990-01-01
Why this score
Belize's Copyright Act is Chapter 252 of the Laws of Belize. The revised edition 2000 consolidation shows the law as at 31 December 2000. However, the Copyright Act was originally enacted as Act No. 8 of 2000 and came into force in 2000. Before that, Belize had the Copyright Act (Chapter 170 of the 1980 Revised Edition), which was based on the UK Copyright Act 1911 as extended to British Honduras. I was unable to retrieve the full verbatim text of the pre-2000 copyright law in force on 1990-01-01 via web search. The pre-2000 law (Chapter 170) would have been the UK Copyright Act 1911 as applied to British Honduras/Belize, which contained a fair dealing provision for private study and research. Without access to the actual statutory text verified via search, I cannot provide a verbatim excerpt or a confident color classification for the 1990 baseline. The classification is AMBIGUOUS because the statutory text in force on 1990-01-01 could not be retrieved and verified.
Exceptions considered
Likely fair dealing for research or private study inherited from UK Copyright Act 1911 as extended to British Honduras, but text not verified
Source links
Copyright Act, 2000 (Act No. 8 of 2000, Chapter 252)
Relevant update · Effective 2000-06-21
100%
Relevant section: Sections 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73
Dates: Effective 2000-06-21 · Enacted 2000-06-21
Why this score
Section 67(1) provides an unqualified fair dealing exception for the purposes of research or private study. The term 'fair dealing with a work' covers any exclusive right (not only reproduction), applies to all types of works, and is not restricted to any particular class of user (individuals, institutions, etc.). There is no 'private' or 'personal' qualifier on the research purpose — 'research' and 'private study' are listed as separate purposes. This is a classic fair dealing provision modeled on UK law. Additionally, sections 68-73 provide further exceptions for educational use, library copying, etc., but section 67(1) is the most permissive. Uses: covers any dealing (reproduction, communication, etc.). Works: all works. Users: any user. This maps to GREEN. The non-commercial nature of research is not a factor in classification per the rules. No TDM-specific exception exists.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a work for the purposes of research or private study — no infringement of copyright
Fair dealing for criticism or review with sufficient acknowledgement
Reproduction for educational purposes — copying for illustration in teaching
Library and archival copying — reproduction by librarians for users and for preservation
Reproduction for personal and private use
Original text
67.-(1) The fair dealing with a work for the purposes of research or private study shall not constitute an infringement of copyright in the work. (2) Fair dealing with a work for the purposes of criticism or review of that or another work or of a performance of a work shall not constitute an infringement of copyright in the work, provided that it is accompanied by a sufficient acknowledgement. (3) Fair dealing with a work for the purpose of reporting current events shall not constitute an infringement of copyright in the work, provided that (except in the case of reporting by means of a sound recording, film, broadcast or cable programme) it is accompanied by a sufficient acknowledgement.
Source links
Copyright Act, Chapter 252 (Revised Edition 2000, as amended)
Current law confirmation · Effective 2025-01-01
100%
Relevant section: Section 67(1)
Dates: Effective 2025-01-01
Why this score
As of 2025, the Copyright Act, Chapter 252, remains in force in Belize with no amendments to the fair dealing provisions. Section 67(1) continues to provide an unqualified fair dealing exception for research or private study. The term 'fair dealing with a work' covers any type of dealing (reproduction, communication, etc.) with any type of work, by any user. 'Research' and 'private study' are listed as separate purposes; 'private' modifies 'study' only, not 'research.' No TDM-specific exception has been added. The most permissive exception remains section 67(1), which maps to GREEN. Uses: any dealing. Works: all works. Users: any user. Classification-neutral factors (non-commercial purpose, copy limits, etc.) were not considered in the color assignment.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a work for the purposes of research or private study — no infringement of copyright
Fair dealing for criticism or review with sufficient acknowledgement
Reproduction for educational purposes — copying for illustration in teaching
Library and archival copying — reproduction by librarians for users and for preservation
Reproduction for personal and private use
Original text
67.-(1) The fair dealing with a work for the purposes of research or private study shall not constitute an infringement of copyright in the work.