Selected year snapshot
For 1993, the active event in this file is Zakon o autorskom pravu i srodnim pravima (1998).
60%
Current rationale
The 1998 Law on Copyright and Related Rights of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (which applied in Serbia) contained limitations in Articles 37–51. The most permissive research-relevant exception is Article 42, which permits a natural person (fizičko lice) to reproduce copies of a published work for personal non-commercial needs. This covers reproduction of full works but is restricted to natural persons acting for personal (private) non-commercial purposes. It does not authorize sharing/communication. Other exceptions include: quotation (Art. 46 – limited to excerpts, RED individually), use for teaching purposes (Art. 43 – educational, limited scope), reproduction by libraries (Art. 44 – institutional, limited). No general fair use/fair dealing clause exists. No TDM exception. The private use exception in Art. 42 is the most permissive for research purposes: it covers full works, all types of works, but only natural persons for personal use, and only reproduction. This maps to LIGHT BLUE. Non-commercial restriction is classification-neutral per the rules.
Exceptions considered
Natural person may reproduce copies of a published work for personal non-commercial needs, without authorization or payment
Use for teaching purposes – reproduction of parts of works for illustration in teaching
Reproduction by libraries and archives for their own needs (replacement copies, preservation)
Quotation of excerpts from a published work for purposes of criticism, review, or scientific analysis
Law changes
Zakon o autorskom pravu i srodnim pravima (1998)
Baseline · Effective 1998-05-23
60%
Relevant section: Čl. 37–51
Dates: Effective 1998-05-23 · Enacted 1998-05-15
Why this score
The 1998 Law on Copyright and Related Rights of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (which applied in Serbia) contained limitations in Articles 37–51. The most permissive research-relevant exception is Article 42, which permits a natural person (fizičko lice) to reproduce copies of a published work for personal non-commercial needs. This covers reproduction of full works but is restricted to natural persons acting for personal (private) non-commercial purposes. It does not authorize sharing/communication. Other exceptions include: quotation (Art. 46 – limited to excerpts, RED individually), use for teaching purposes (Art. 43 – educational, limited scope), reproduction by libraries (Art. 44 – institutional, limited). No general fair use/fair dealing clause exists. No TDM exception. The private use exception in Art. 42 is the most permissive for research purposes: it covers full works, all types of works, but only natural persons for personal use, and only reproduction. This maps to LIGHT BLUE. Non-commercial restriction is classification-neutral per the rules.
Exceptions considered
Natural person may reproduce copies of a published work for personal non-commercial needs, without authorization or payment
Use for teaching purposes – reproduction of parts of works for illustration in teaching
Reproduction by libraries and archives for their own needs (replacement copies, preservation)
Quotation of excerpts from a published work for purposes of criticism, review, or scientific analysis
Original text
Član 42. Dozvoljeno je, bez dozvole autora i bez plaćanja autorske naknade, fizičkom licu umno`avanje primeraka objavljenog dela za li~ne nekomercijalne potrebe.
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 42. It is permitted, without the authorization of the author and without payment of remuneration, for a natural person to reproduce copies of a published work for personal non-commercial needs.
Source links
Zakon o autorskom i srodnim pravima (2009)
Relevant update · Effective 2009-12-24
20%
Relevant section: Čl. 46–56
Dates: Effective 2009-12-24 · Enacted 2009-12-09
Why this score
The 2009 Law replaced the 1998 law and restructured the limitations chapter. Article 47 provides for private reproduction for personal non-commercial needs of a natural person, but now explicitly excludes: (1) architectural works reproduced as buildings, (2) originals of fine art works, and (3) entire books (unless out of print for 2+ years). Because the exception now carves out specific categories of works from full-work reproduction, this moves from LIGHT BLUE to ORANGE. The exception still covers reproduction only (not sharing/communication) and is limited to natural persons. Other exceptions: Art. 49 (quotation – excerpts only, RED), Art. 50 (educational use – limited, RED), Art. 54 (library/archive reproduction – institutional, PURPLE). No fair use/fair dealing clause. No TDM exception. The most permissive exception is Art. 47, which permits full-work reproduction for some types of works but excludes others, mapping to ORANGE. The non-commercial restriction and single-copy norms are classification-neutral.
Exceptions considered
Natural person may reproduce published work for personal non-commercial needs, except architectural works as buildings, originals of fine art, and entire books (unless out of print 2+ years)
Quotation of short excerpts from published works for criticism, review, or scientific purposes
Use for illustration in teaching and scientific research, limited to extent justified by purpose
Reproduction by libraries, archives, museums, educational and scientific institutions for their own use (preservation, replacement, lending)
General three-step test clause: limitations must not conflict with normal exploitation and must not unreasonably prejudice legitimate interests of the author
Original text
Član 47. Dozvoljeno je, bez dozvole autora i bez plaćanja autorske naknade, umnožavanje primeraka objavljenog dela za lične nekomercijalne potrebe fizičkog lica, osim: 1) građevinskog objekta u obliku arhitektonskog objekta; 2) dela likovne umetnosti u originalu; 3) umnožavanja pisanih dela u obimu cele knjige, osim ako su primerci te knjige rasprodati najmanje dve godine.
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 47. It is permitted, without the authorization of the author and without payment of remuneration, to reproduce copies of a published work for the personal non-commercial needs of a natural person, except: 1) a building in the form of an architectural work; 2) an original work of fine art; 3) reproduction of written works in the scope of an entire book, unless copies of that book have been sold out for at least two years.
Source links
Zakon o izmenama i dopunama Zakona o autorskom i srodnim pravima (2019)
Relevant update · Effective 2019-09-18
20%
Relevant section: Čl. 47, 50, 54 (as amended)
Dates: Effective 2019-09-18 · Enacted 2019-09-10
Why this score
The 2019 amendments (Official Gazette RS No. 66/2019) made changes to the Copyright and Related Rights Law but did not introduce a TDM exception, a general fair use/fair dealing clause, or materially broaden the private use exception in Art. 47. The exclusions for architectural works, originals of fine art, and entire books remain. The amendments primarily addressed collective management, enforcement, and alignment with certain EU acquis provisions. The overall classification remains ORANGE because the most permissive research-relevant exception (Art. 47 private reproduction) still excludes specific categories of works from full-work reproduction. No new research-specific or TDM-specific exception was added. The three-step test in Art. 46 remains a limiting principle. The educational/scientific exception in Art. 50 remains limited to excerpts. Library exception in Art. 54 remains institutional.
Exceptions considered
Natural person may reproduce published work for personal non-commercial needs, except architectural works as buildings, originals of fine art, and entire books (unless out of print 2+ years)
Quotation of short excerpts from published works for criticism, review, or scientific purposes
Use for illustration in teaching and scientific research, limited to extent justified by purpose
Reproduction by libraries, archives, museums, educational and scientific institutions for their own use
Three-step test as limiting principle on all exceptions
Source links
Zakon o autorskom i srodnim pravima (prečišćen tekst sa izmenama 2009, 2011, 2012, 2019)
Current law confirmation · Effective 2019-09-18
20%
Relevant section: Čl. 46–56
Dates: Effective 2019-09-18
Why this score
As of 2025, the Serbian Copyright and Related Rights Law (as last amended in 2019) remains in force. The most permissive research-relevant exception is Art. 47 (private reproduction for personal non-commercial needs of a natural person). This permits reproduction of full works of most types but explicitly excludes: architectural works (as buildings), originals of fine art, and entire books (unless out of print 2+ years). Because specific categories of works are excluded from full-work reproduction, this maps to ORANGE. The exception covers reproduction only (not sharing/communication) and is limited to natural persons. Other exceptions in force: Art. 49 (quotation – excerpts, RED), Art. 50 (educational/scientific illustration – limited to parts justified by purpose, RED), Art. 54 (library/institutional reproduction, PURPLE), Art. 46 (three-step test as limiting principle, not enabling, RED). Serbia has not transposed the EU DSM Directive TDM exceptions (Arts. 3–4 of Directive 2019/790) as it is not an EU member state, though it is a candidate country. No TDM-specific exception exists. No general fair use or fair dealing clause exists. The non-commercial restriction in Art. 47 is classification-neutral. Uses: reproduction only. Works: all except architectural, fine art originals, and entire books. Users: natural persons only. This confirms ORANGE.
Exceptions considered
Natural person may reproduce published work for personal non-commercial needs, except architectural works as buildings, originals of fine art, and entire books (unless out of print 2+ years)
Quotation of short excerpts from published works for criticism, review, or scientific purposes
Use for illustration in teaching and scientific research, limited to extent justified by purpose (parts/excerpts)
Reproduction by libraries, archives, museums, educational and scientific institutions for their own use (preservation, replacement, lending)
Three-step test: scope of limitations must not conflict with normal exploitation nor unreasonably prejudice legitimate interests of the author
Original text
Član 47. Dozvoljeno je, bez dozvole autora i bez plaćanja autorske naknade, umnožavanje primeraka objavljenog dela za lične nekomercijalne potrebe fizičkog lica, osim: 1) građevinskog objekta u obliku arhitektonskog objekta; 2) dela likovne umetnosti u originalu; 3) umnožavanja pisanih dela u obimu cele knjige, osim ako su primerci te knjige rasprodati najmanje dve godine.
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 47. It is permitted, without the authorization of the author and without payment of remuneration, to reproduce copies of a published work for the personal non-commercial needs of a natural person, except: 1) a building in the form of an architectural work; 2) an original work of fine art; 3) reproduction of written works in the scope of an entire book, unless copies of that book have been sold out for at least two years.