How copyright protection arises 

Copyright protection arises automatically as soon as a work is created. There is no need, for example, to register the work. The right to the work arises when a painting is painted, a piece of music is composed, or when a computer programme is created. The creator does not need to publish or make the work public, which means that even works created solely for personal use are protected.  

There is no requirement to use the © symbol. 

Related rights also arise immediately by law. A performance, a recording, or a photograph do not need to be registered in any way. Protection of related rights generally begins when the object of protection comes into existence – when the music performance is recorded, the movie is filmed, etc. 

The © symbol  

The © symbol is an international symbol used before the creator’s or copyright holder’s name in a work that is protected by copyright. By using the copyright symbol, you indicate who owns the copyright to the work. However, copyright protection does not require the use of the © symbol. The absence of the word ‘copyright’ or the © symbol from a work does not remove the copyright protection of a work that meets the threshold of originality. 

There are no standardised forms for the use of the © symbol. The most commonly used form is Copyright © [Creator’s or Copyright Holder’s Name] and the first year of publication. The word ‘copyright’ can also be omitted. For example, © Irish Copyright Licensing Agency 2024.