The act dated February 20th 2015 implemented Directive 2001/77/EU dated September 27th 2015 on the term of protection of copyright and certain related rights.

This directive provides that the term of protection of patrimonial rights of performers and phonogram producers is extended from 50 to 70 years.

This time limit will begin from January 1st of the calendar year following any publication or any communication to the public of the fixation of the performance in a phonogram.

These provisions have been implemented in French law under article L. 211-4 of the Intellectual property Code.

The conditions of the extension of protection over time are provided for in Article 8 of the act. Thus, only the phonograms that were protected until November 1st 2013 under prior legal regimes will benefit from this new protection regime.