Selected year snapshot
For 1993, the active event in this file is Copyright Act, 1956 (UK) as extended to the British Virgin Islands.
100%
Current rationale
The UK Copyright Act 1956 was extended to the British Virgin Islands by Order in Council (the Copyright (British Virgin Islands) Order). Section 6(1) of the 1956 Act provides for fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work for purposes of research or private study. The term 'fair dealing' covers any act restricted by copyright (not only reproduction), and is open to any user, not restricted to individuals or institutions. This qualifies as GREEN. Section 6(2) provides fair dealing for criticism or review, and Section 6(3) for reporting current events. Section 9 provides for library copying. The most permissive exception is the general fair dealing for research or private study under s.6(1). Classification-neutral factors (non-commercial restriction, copy limits) were not factored into the color decision. However, I was unable to retrieve and verify the verbatim text of the 1956 Act as extended to the BVI via web search, so the excerpt fields are left empty.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work for purposes of research or private study shall not constitute infringement of copyright
Fair dealing for purposes of criticism or review
Library and archive copying provisions
Law changes
Copyright Act, 1956 (UK) as extended to the British Virgin Islands
Baseline · undated in this pass
100%
Relevant section: Section 6(1) (fair dealing for research or private study)
Why this score
The UK Copyright Act 1956 was extended to the British Virgin Islands by Order in Council (the Copyright (British Virgin Islands) Order). Section 6(1) of the 1956 Act provides for fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work for purposes of research or private study. The term 'fair dealing' covers any act restricted by copyright (not only reproduction), and is open to any user, not restricted to individuals or institutions. This qualifies as GREEN. Section 6(2) provides fair dealing for criticism or review, and Section 6(3) for reporting current events. Section 9 provides for library copying. The most permissive exception is the general fair dealing for research or private study under s.6(1). Classification-neutral factors (non-commercial restriction, copy limits) were not factored into the color decision. However, I was unable to retrieve and verify the verbatim text of the 1956 Act as extended to the BVI via web search, so the excerpt fields are left empty.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work for purposes of research or private study shall not constitute infringement of copyright
Fair dealing for purposes of criticism or review
Library and archive copying provisions
Copyright Act, 1956 (UK) as extended to the British Virgin Islands
Current law confirmation · Effective 2025-01-01
100%
Relevant section: Section 6(1) (fair dealing for research or private study)
Dates: Effective 2025-01-01
Why this score
Based on all available evidence from web searches, the BVI has not enacted its own standalone comprehensive copyright statute replacing the extended UK Copyright Act 1956. WIPO Lex does not list a separate BVI copyright act. The Loeb Smith article (2017) confirms that IP in the BVI is historically influenced by UK IP protection laws. The BVI Office of the Registrar of Trade Marks, Patents & Copyright administers IP laws, but no new copyright act was identified. The UK Copyright Act 1956 as extended remains the operative copyright law. Section 6(1) provides fair dealing for research or private study, which covers any act restricted by copyright ('dealing'), applies to any user, and covers literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works. This is GREEN. The limitation to literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works (excluding sound recordings, films, broadcasts as separate categories under the 1956 Act) does not reduce the classification because the fair dealing provision covers the core categories of works a researcher would typically need. Classification-neutral factors were not considered in the color assignment.
Exceptions considered
Fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work for purposes of research or private study shall not constitute infringement of copyright
Fair dealing for purposes of criticism or review
Library and archive copying provisions