Selected year snapshot
For 1993, the active event in this file is Burma Copyright Act (India Act III, 1914), incorporating the UK Copyright Act, 1911.
100%
Current rationale
The Burma Copyright Act applied the UK Copyright Act 1911 to Burma. Section 2(1)(i) of the 1911 Act provides a fair dealing exception for 'private study, research, criticism, review, or newspaper summary.' The term 'fair dealing' covers any exclusive right (not only reproduction), and 'research' is listed as an independent purpose alongside 'private study' — they are separated by commas as distinct purposes. The exception applies to 'any work' (no work-type restriction) and to any user (no institutional or individual restriction). This satisfies GREEN: reproduction and other dealings with full works, for research, open to any user. The non-commercial qualifier is not present, but even if implied, non-commercial restrictions are classification-neutral.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with any work for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review, or newspaper summary
Law changes
Burma Copyright Act (India Act III, 1914), incorporating the UK Copyright Act, 1911
Baseline · Effective 1914-02-24
100%
Relevant section: Section 2(1)(i) of the UK Copyright Act 1911 (as applied to Burma)
Dates: Effective 1914-02-24 · Enacted 1914-02-24
Why this score
The Burma Copyright Act applied the UK Copyright Act 1911 to Burma. Section 2(1)(i) of the 1911 Act provides a fair dealing exception for 'private study, research, criticism, review, or newspaper summary.' The term 'fair dealing' covers any exclusive right (not only reproduction), and 'research' is listed as an independent purpose alongside 'private study' — they are separated by commas as distinct purposes. The exception applies to 'any work' (no work-type restriction) and to any user (no institutional or individual restriction). This satisfies GREEN: reproduction and other dealings with full works, for research, open to any user. The non-commercial qualifier is not present, but even if implied, non-commercial restrictions are classification-neutral.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with any work for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review, or newspaper summary
Original text
Copyright in a work shall be deemed to be infringed by any person who, without the consent of the owner of the copyright, does anything the sole right to do which is by this Act conferred on the owner of the copyright: Provided that the following acts shall not constitute an infringement of copyright:— (i) Any fair dealing with any work for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review, or newspaper summary;
Source links
Copyright Law of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Law No. 15, 2019)
Relevant update · Effective 2023-10-31
100%
Relevant section: Sections 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 52
Dates: Effective 2023-10-31 · Enacted 2019-05-24
Why this score
Section 42(a) provides a 'fair use' exception for 'research, private study, criticism, review, or reporting of current events.' The term 'fair use' covers any exclusive right (not only reproduction), as confirmed by the four-factor test in Section 43 which evaluates 'the use made of a work' broadly. 'Research' is listed as an independent purpose. The exception applies to any copyrighted work (no work-type restriction) and to any user (no institutional or individual restriction). The attribution requirement (source and author name) is a proportionality qualifier and does not change the classification. Section 43's four-factor test (modeled on US fair use) further confirms the open-ended nature of the exception. Additional exceptions exist (Sections 42(b)-(i), 44-46, 52) but Section 42(a) is the most permissive. This satisfies GREEN: fair use of full works for research, covering any exclusive right, open to any user, applicable to all work types.
Exceptions considered
Fair use of a copyrighted work for the purposes of research, private study, criticism, review, or reporting of current events, with attribution
Reproduction of a short part of a published work for teaching or examination by a non-profit educational institution
Reproduction by a librarian or archivist, limited to one copy, for preservation or replacement
Importation of a copy of a work by a natural person for personal purposes
Four-factor fair use test for determining whether use is fair (purpose and character, nature of work, amount used, market effect)
Quotation from a published work, provided compatible with fair practice and extent does not exceed purpose
Original text
42. The following acts shall not constitute an infringement of copyright: (a) fair use of a copyrighted work for the purposes of research, private study, criticism, review, or reporting of current events, provided that the source and the name of the author are mentioned; (b) reproduction of a short part of a published work for the purpose of teaching or for examination by an educational institution, the activities of which are not for profit; (c) reproduction of a work by a librarian or archivist, limited to one copy, where the reproduction is necessary to preserve or replace the work; (d) reproduction of a work for the purpose of judicial or administrative proceedings; (e) reproduction of a work of architecture in the form of a building or other construction; (f) reproduction of a work that is permanently located in a public place; (g) incidental inclusion of a work in a broadcast, a film or a photograph; (h) any use made of a work for the benefit of persons with a disability, which is directly related to the disability and of a non-commercial nature, to the extent required by the specific disability; (i) importation of a copy of a work by a natural person for his personal purposes. 43. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is fair use, the factors to be considered shall include: (a) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for non-profit educational purposes; (b) the nature of the copyrighted work; (c) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; (d) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
Source links
Copyright Law of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Law No. 15, 2019)
Current law confirmation · Effective 2023-10-31
100%
Relevant section: Sections 42(a), 43
Dates: Effective 2023-10-31 · Enacted 2019-05-24
Why this score
As of 2025, the Copyright Law (Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Law No. 15, 2019), effective 31 October 2023, remains in force. No amendments to the exceptions provisions have been identified. Section 42(a) provides a fair use exception for research, private study, criticism, review, and reporting of current events. The term 'fair use' covers any exclusive right (reproduction, communication, distribution, etc.), applies to any copyrighted work (no work-type exclusion), and is open to any user (no institutional or individual restriction). Section 43 provides a US-style four-factor test. This is GREEN: fair use of full works for research, covering any exclusive right, open to any user, applicable to all work types. No TDM-specific exception exists, but the general fair use clause would potentially cover TDM activities under the four-factor analysis. Classification-neutral factors (attribution requirement, non-commercial consideration in the four-factor test) were not factored into the color decision.
Exceptions considered
Fair use of a copyrighted work for the purposes of research, private study, criticism, review, or reporting of current events, with attribution
Reproduction of a short part of a published work for teaching or examination by a non-profit educational institution
Reproduction by a librarian or archivist, limited to one copy, for preservation or replacement
Importation of a copy of a work by a natural person for personal purposes
Four-factor fair use test (purpose/character, nature of work, amount/substantiality, market effect)
Quotation from a published work compatible with fair practice
Original text
42. The following acts shall not constitute an infringement of copyright: (a) fair use of a copyrighted work for the purposes of research, private study, criticism, review, or reporting of current events, provided that the source and the name of the author are mentioned; 43. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is fair use, the factors to be considered shall include: (a) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for non-profit educational purposes; (b) the nature of the copyrighted work; (c) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; (d) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.