COMPUTER SOFTWARE AND DATABASES
Copyright protection extends to all types of computer programs (including operating systems and software suites) that can be expressed in any language and format, including source code and object code, similarly to copyrights for literary works.
Registration or compliance with other formalities is not necessary to establish and protect a copyright. At the same time, copyrights for computer programs and databases can be deposited with Rospatent, resulting in issuance of a certificate of state registration. Such certificate can serve as proof of exclusive rights and be used in court to combat piracy.
Questions and Answers:
What is required to file an application for a computer program or database in Russia?
- Pay the filing, registration, certificate issuance, and publication fees for the computer program or database.
- Submit a request to the Patent Office (we do this electronically, through Rospatent's special service).
- Provide deposited materials that identify the computer program. These materials should be in the form of source code (complete or fragments) or another typical format of the programming language used, sufficient for identification. The source code must be presented in the programming language(s) specified in the abstract. The deposited materials, including the abstract, must clearly identify the computer program subject to registration.
- Deposited materials identifying a database should reflect the objective presentation of its contents with real content examples and the principles of their systematization (database structure), enabling the retrieval and processing using a computer.
What are the official fees to be paid when filing an application for a computer program or database in Russia?
The official fee for application filing, registration, certificate issuance and publication of a computer program or database in Russia is 4500 RUR (~50 USD).