Selected year snapshot
For 2024, the active event in this file is Law on the Protection of Literary and Artistic Property (Law No. 75 of April 3, 1999).
20%
Current rationale
As of 2025, Law No. 75 of 1999 remains the copyright law in force in Lebanon. No verified amendment to the exceptions and limitations provisions (Chapter VI, Articles 23–34) has been enacted and brought into force since 1999. The 2007 draft amendment referenced by the AUB LibGuide was intended to amend some provisions but could not be verified as having been enacted or entered into force. The most permissive research-relevant exception remains Article 23(1), which permits reproduction, translation, adaptation, arrangement, or other transformation of a work exclusively for personal and private use, not for profit. This exception explicitly excludes works of architecture (as buildings), the whole or substantial part of databases in digital form, and computer programs. Because full-work reproduction is permitted for most types of works but specific categories are carved out, the classification is ORANGE. There is no fair use, fair dealing, general research, TDM, or library/institutional exception in the law. The teaching exception (Art. 23(2)) and quotation exception (Art. 23(3)) are limited to excerpts. The non-commercial restriction and three-step-test language are classification-neutral. No TDM-specific exception exists.
Exceptions considered
Reproduction, translation, adaptation, arrangement or other transformation of a work exclusively for personal and private use, not for profit. Excludes: architecture reproduced as buildings, whole/substantial part of digital databases, computer programs.
Reproducing excerpts of a published work for illustration for teaching, compatible with fair practice, with attribution.
Quoting excerpts of a lawfully available work, compatible with fair practice, not exceeding extent justified by purpose, with attribution.
Permits lawful possessor of a computer program to make a backup copy and to study/test/observe the functioning of the program. Decompilation for interoperability under specific conditions.
Law changes
Baseline
Baseline · Effective 1990-01-01
?
Dates: Effective 1990-01-01
Why this score
Lebanon's copyright law prior to 1999 was governed by the Ottoman-era Copyright Law of 1924 (Decree No. 2385) and the French Mandate-era legislative framework. I was unable to retrieve or verify the actual statutory text of the pre-1999 copyright law in force on 1990-01-01 via web search. No official digital source providing the full text of the 1924 law or any amendments in force as of 1990 was located. Without the actual statutory text, the exceptions and limitations applicable to research cannot be classified with confidence.
Law on the Protection of Literary and Artistic Property (Law No. 75 of April 3, 1999)
Relevant update · Effective 1999-06-06
20%
Relevant section: Articles 23–34 (Chapter VI: Exceptions)
Dates: Effective 1999-06-06 · Enacted 1999-04-03
Why this score
Article 23(1) provides a private/personal use exception covering reproduction, translation, adaptation, arrangement, or other transformation of a work exclusively for personal and private use and not for profit. This is broad in terms of uses covered (reproduction plus adaptation etc.) and applies to any user acting privately. However, it explicitly excludes: (a) works of architecture reproduced as buildings, (b) the whole or substantial part of a database in digital form, and (c) computer programs (except as in Art. 28). Because the exception permits full-work reproduction for most types of works but carves out specific categories (architecture, databases, computer programs), this meets the ORANGE definition: full-work reproduction is permitted for at least some types of works but not all. The 'personal and private use' qualifier would normally suggest LIGHT BLUE, but the work-type exclusions are the more restrictive element. Evaluating the three dimensions: Uses — covers reproduction and transformation (broad); Works — excludes architecture, databases in digital form, and computer programs; Users — restricted to personal and private use. The most restrictive element is the work-type exclusion, yielding ORANGE. Article 23(2) (teaching excerpts) and Article 23(3) (quotation excerpts) are limited to excerpts and are therefore RED individually. No separate fair dealing, fair use, general research, TDM, or library/institutional exception exists in the law. The non-commercial restriction and three-step-test language in Art. 23(1)(d) are classification-neutral factors and do not affect the color.
Exceptions considered
Reproduction, translation, adaptation, arrangement or other transformation of a work exclusively for personal and private use, not for profit. Excludes: architecture reproduced as buildings, whole/substantial part of digital databases, computer programs.
Reproducing excerpts of a published work for illustration for teaching, compatible with fair practice, with attribution.
Quoting excerpts of a lawfully available work, compatible with fair practice, not exceeding extent justified by purpose, with attribution.
Permits lawful possessor of a computer program to make a backup copy and to study/test/observe the functioning of the program. Decompilation permitted for interoperability under specific conditions.
Original text
Article 23: Subject to the provisions of Articles 24 to 34 of this Law, the author may not prevent third parties from performing the following acts: 1. Reproducing, translating, adapting, arranging or otherwise transforming a work exclusively for the personal and private use of the user and not for profit making. However, this exception shall not apply to: a. Reproduction of a work of architecture in the form of a building or other similar construction. b. Reproduction of the whole or a substantial part of a database in digital form. c. Reproduction of a computer program except as provided for in Article 28 of this Law. d. Reproduction of any work if such reproduction would conflict with the normal exploitation of the work or would cause unjustified prejudice to the legitimate interests of the author. 2. Reproducing excerpts of a published work for the purpose of illustration for teaching, to the extent justified by the purpose, provided that such reproduction is compatible with fair practice and that the source and the name of the author are mentioned on the reproduced copy. 3. Quoting excerpts of a work that has been lawfully made available to the public, provided that such quotation is compatible with fair practice and does not exceed the extent justified by the purpose. The source and the name of the author must be mentioned in the quotation.
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 23: Subject to the provisions of Articles 24 to 34 of this Law, the author may not prevent third parties from performing the following acts: 1. Reproducing, translating, adapting, arranging or otherwise transforming a work exclusively for the personal and private use of the user and not for profit making. However, this exception shall not apply to: a. Reproduction of a work of architecture in the form of a building or other similar construction. b. Reproduction of the whole or a substantial part of a database in digital form. c. Reproduction of a computer program except as provided for in Article 28 of this Law. d. Reproduction of any work if such reproduction would conflict with the normal exploitation of the work or would cause unjustified prejudice to the legitimate interests of the author. 2. Reproducing excerpts of a published work for the purpose of illustration for teaching, to the extent justified by the purpose, provided that such reproduction is compatible with fair practice and that the source and the name of the author are mentioned on the reproduced copy. 3. Quoting excerpts of a work that has been lawfully made available to the public, provided that such quotation is compatible with fair practice and does not exceed the extent justified by the purpose. The source and the name of the author must be mentioned in the quotation.
Source links
Law on the Protection of Literary and Artistic Property (Law No. 75 of April 3, 1999)
Current law confirmation · Effective 1999-06-06
20%
Relevant section: Articles 23–34 (Chapter VI: Exceptions)
Dates: Effective 1999-06-06 · Enacted 1999-04-03
Why this score
As of 2025, Law No. 75 of 1999 remains the copyright law in force in Lebanon. No verified amendment to the exceptions and limitations provisions (Chapter VI, Articles 23–34) has been enacted and brought into force since 1999. The 2007 draft amendment referenced by the AUB LibGuide was intended to amend some provisions but could not be verified as having been enacted or entered into force. The most permissive research-relevant exception remains Article 23(1), which permits reproduction, translation, adaptation, arrangement, or other transformation of a work exclusively for personal and private use, not for profit. This exception explicitly excludes works of architecture (as buildings), the whole or substantial part of databases in digital form, and computer programs. Because full-work reproduction is permitted for most types of works but specific categories are carved out, the classification is ORANGE. There is no fair use, fair dealing, general research, TDM, or library/institutional exception in the law. The teaching exception (Art. 23(2)) and quotation exception (Art. 23(3)) are limited to excerpts. The non-commercial restriction and three-step-test language are classification-neutral. No TDM-specific exception exists.
Exceptions considered
Reproduction, translation, adaptation, arrangement or other transformation of a work exclusively for personal and private use, not for profit. Excludes: architecture reproduced as buildings, whole/substantial part of digital databases, computer programs.
Reproducing excerpts of a published work for illustration for teaching, compatible with fair practice, with attribution.
Quoting excerpts of a lawfully available work, compatible with fair practice, not exceeding extent justified by purpose, with attribution.
Permits lawful possessor of a computer program to make a backup copy and to study/test/observe the functioning of the program. Decompilation for interoperability under specific conditions.
Original text
Article 23: Subject to the provisions of Articles 24 to 34 of this Law, the author may not prevent third parties from performing the following acts: 1. Reproducing, translating, adapting, arranging or otherwise transforming a work exclusively for the personal and private use of the user and not for profit making. However, this exception shall not apply to: a. Reproduction of a work of architecture in the form of a building or other similar construction. b. Reproduction of the whole or a substantial part of a database in digital form. c. Reproduction of a computer program except as provided for in Article 28 of this Law. d. Reproduction of any work if such reproduction would conflict with the normal exploitation of the work or would cause unjustified prejudice to the legitimate interests of the author. 2. Reproducing excerpts of a published work for the purpose of illustration for teaching, to the extent justified by the purpose, provided that such reproduction is compatible with fair practice and that the source and the name of the author are mentioned on the reproduced copy. 3. Quoting excerpts of a work that has been lawfully made available to the public, provided that such quotation is compatible with fair practice and does not exceed the extent justified by the purpose. The source and the name of the author must be mentioned in the quotation.
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 23: Subject to the provisions of Articles 24 to 34 of this Law, the author may not prevent third parties from performing the following acts: 1. Reproducing, translating, adapting, arranging or otherwise transforming a work exclusively for the personal and private use of the user and not for profit making. However, this exception shall not apply to: a. Reproduction of a work of architecture in the form of a building or other similar construction. b. Reproduction of the whole or a substantial part of a database in digital form. c. Reproduction of a computer program except as provided for in Article 28 of this Law. d. Reproduction of any work if such reproduction would conflict with the normal exploitation of the work or would cause unjustified prejudice to the legitimate interests of the author. 2. Reproducing excerpts of a published work for the purpose of illustration for teaching, to the extent justified by the purpose, provided that such reproduction is compatible with fair practice and that the source and the name of the author are mentioned on the reproduced copy. 3. Quoting excerpts of a work that has been lawfully made available to the public, provided that such quotation is compatible with fair practice and does not exceed the extent justified by the purpose. The source and the name of the author must be mentioned in the quotation.