Selected year snapshot
For 1999, the active event in this file is Copyright (Amendment) Act 1999 (No. 38 of 1999).
100%
Current rationale
The 1999 Amendment broadened the definition of 'reasonable portion' to cover electronic editions (new s 7(2A)), which is relevant to the fair dealing exception for research or study under s 35 (which uses the concept of 'reasonable portion' in determining fairness). This is a modest broadening of the research exception's practical scope for digital works. The core fair dealing exception under s 35 remained unchanged and continues to be the most permissive exception: it covers any dealing with literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works for research or study, open to any user. Classification remains GREEN.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing for research or study — unchanged, but practical scope broadened by new definition of 'reasonable portion' for electronic works
Definition of 'reasonable portion' for electronic editions — 10% of bytes or one chapter
Copying by libraries and archives for users and for other libraries or archives
Law changes
Copyright Act 1987 (No. 2 of 1987)
Baseline · Effective 1987-04-10
100%
Relevant section: Section 35
Dates: Effective 1987-04-10 · Enacted 1987-02-20
Why this score
Section 35 of the Copyright Act 1987 provides a fair dealing exception for the purpose of research or study. The term 'dealing' covers any act comprised in copyright (not limited to reproduction), it applies to all literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, and it is not restricted to any particular class of user (no 'private' or 'personal' qualifier). This maps to GREEN. Additional exceptions exist for library copying (ss 45-46) and educational use (s 40), but s 35 is the most permissive. Non-commercial restrictions, copy limits, and proportionality qualifiers are classification-neutral.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work for the purpose of research or study — no infringement of copyright
Fair dealing for purpose of criticism or review
Inclusion of works in collections for use by educational institutions
Copying by libraries and archives for users and for other libraries or archives
Original text
35.—(1) Subject to this section, a fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work, or with an adaptation of a literary, dramatic or musical work, for the purpose of research or study shall not constitute an infringement of the copyright in the work.
Source links
Copyright (Amendment) Act 1994 (No. 14 of 1994)
Relevant update · Enacted 1994-09-23
100%
Relevant section: Section 5 (new section 40A of the principal Act)
Dates: Enacted 1994-09-23
Why this score
The 1994 Amendment Act inserted a new section 40A into the Copyright Act. Based on the table of contents, section 5 of the Amendment Act creates 'New section 40A'. The exact text of s 40A could not be fully retrieved from the search results, but it appears to relate to educational/institutional copying provisions. Regardless, the pre-existing fair dealing exception under s 35 (research or study) remained in force and unchanged, so the overall classification remains GREEN. Section 35 continues to be the most permissive exception: it covers any dealing (not just reproduction), applies to all literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, and is open to any user.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work for the purpose of research or study — unchanged from 1987
New provision inserted by 1994 Amendment — likely relates to educational/institutional copying
Copying by libraries and archives for users and for other libraries or archives
Source links
Copyright (Amendment) Act 1999 (No. 38 of 1999)
Relevant update · Effective 1999-12-15
100%
Relevant section: Section 3 (amendment of section 7 — definition of 'reasonable portion' for electronic editions)
Dates: Effective 1999-12-15 · Enacted 1999-08-24
Why this score
The 1999 Amendment broadened the definition of 'reasonable portion' to cover electronic editions (new s 7(2A)), which is relevant to the fair dealing exception for research or study under s 35 (which uses the concept of 'reasonable portion' in determining fairness). This is a modest broadening of the research exception's practical scope for digital works. The core fair dealing exception under s 35 remained unchanged and continues to be the most permissive exception: it covers any dealing with literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works for research or study, open to any user. Classification remains GREEN.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing for research or study — unchanged, but practical scope broadened by new definition of 'reasonable portion' for electronic works
Definition of 'reasonable portion' for electronic editions — 10% of bytes or one chapter
Copying by libraries and archives for users and for other libraries or archives
Original text
"(2A) Without limiting the meaning of the expression "reasonable portion" in this Act, where a literary, dramatic or musical work is contained in a published edition of that work, being an edition which is stored on any medium by electronic means and is not divided into pages, a copy of part of that work, as it appears in that edition, shall be taken to contain only a reasonable portion of that work if the part that is copied in the edition — (a) does not exceed, in the aggregate, 10% of the total number of bytes in that edition; or (b) in a case where the work is divided into chapters, exceeds, in the aggregate, 10% of the total number of bytes in that edition but contains only the whole or part of a single chapter of the work."
Source links
Copyright Act 2021 (No. 22 of 2021)
Relevant update · Effective 2021-11-21
100%
Relevant section: Sections 183-187, 191 (fair dealing for research or study), 243-244 (computational data analysis/TDM)
Dates: Effective 2021-11-21 · Enacted 2021-09-14
Why this score
The Copyright Act 2021 replaced the Copyright Act 1987 (Cap. 63). Section 191 re-enacts the fair dealing exception for research or study, now covering 'a work' (all types of works) and recordings of protected performances. The term 'dealing' covers any act comprised in copyright, it applies to any user, and it is not restricted to private or personal use. This alone qualifies as GREEN. Additionally, the new section 244 introduces a specific TDM (computational data analysis) exception that permits both reproduction (s 244(1)) and communication (s 244(4)) of works and recordings for computational data analysis, with communication permitted for verification and collaborative research. Section 244 is also GREEN on its own (covers reproduction and communication, any work, any user). The combination of s 191 and s 244 confirms GREEN classification. Section 186 provides that permitted uses may be excluded or restricted by individually negotiated, fair and reasonable contract terms (s 186(2)), but contract-override provisions are classification-neutral. Section 187 voids certain contract terms that restrict permitted uses. The lawful access requirement in s 244 is classification-neutral.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a work or recording of a protected performance for the purpose of research or study — no infringement
Copying or communicating for computational data analysis (TDM) — permits reproduction and communication of any work for computational data analysis, with communication allowed for verification and collaborative research
Fair dealing for criticism or review
General provisions on permitted uses — permitted uses are not infringements, are independent, and may be restricted only by individually negotiated fair and reasonable contract terms
Original text
191.—(1) A fair dealing with a work, or with a recording of a protected performance, for the purpose of research or study does not infringe copyright in the work or constitute an infringing use of the performance. ... 244.—(1) It is a permitted use for X to make a copy of any of the following material for the purpose of computational data analysis: (a) a work; (b) a recording of a protected performance. ... (4) It is a permitted use for X to communicate a work or a recording of a protected performance if — (a) the communication is made using a copy made in circumstances to which subsection (1) applies; and (b) X does not supply (whether by communication or otherwise) the copy to any person other than for the purpose of — (i) verifying the results of the computational data analysis carried out by X; or (ii) collaborative research or study relating to the purpose of the computational data analysis carried out by X.
Source links
Copyright Act 2021 (No. 22 of 2021)
Current law confirmation · Effective 2021-11-21
100%
Relevant section: Sections 191, 244
Dates: Effective 2021-11-21 · Enacted 2021-09-14
Why this score
As of 2025, the Copyright Act 2021 remains in force in Singapore. The two most relevant exceptions for research are: (1) Section 191 — fair dealing for research or study, which covers any 'dealing' (i.e., any act comprised in copyright, including reproduction and communication) with any work, by any user, for research or study purposes. This is GREEN because it is open as to uses, works, and users. (2) Section 244 — computational data analysis (TDM), which permits both reproduction (s 244(1)) and communication (s 244(4)) of any work for computational data analysis purposes, by any user ('X'), subject to lawful access. Communication is permitted for verification and collaborative research. This is also GREEN independently. The most permissive exception is s 191 (fair dealing for research or study), which determines the overall GREEN classification. Classification-neutral factors noted: s 191 includes fairness factors (amount used, effect on market, etc.) which are proportionality qualifiers and do not change the color; s 244 requires lawful access which is classification-neutral; s 186 permits contractual restriction of permitted uses under certain conditions which is classification-neutral.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a work or recording of a protected performance for the purpose of research or study — covers any dealing, any work, any user
Copying or communicating for computational data analysis (TDM) — permits reproduction and communication of any work by any user for computational data analysis, with communication for verification and collaborative research
Fair dealing for criticism or review
Library and archive copying provisions — reproduction by libraries for users and for other libraries
Original text
191.—(1) A fair dealing with a work, or with a recording of a protected performance, for the purpose of research or study does not infringe copyright in the work or constitute an infringing use of the performance. ... 244.—(1) It is a permitted use for X to make a copy of any of the following material for the purpose of computational data analysis: (a) a work; (b) a recording of a protected performance.