Intellectual property rights

The Court of Justice of the European Union made a preliminary ruling concerning the interpretation of Art 5(3)(k) of Directive (EC) 2001/29 of the European Parliament and of the Council (on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society). The request had been made in proceedings between Mr Deckmyn and the Vrijheidsfonds VZW, a non-profit association, and various heirs of Mr Vandersteen, author of the Suske en Wiske comic books, and the holders of the rights associated with those works as well, about the handing-out by Mr Deckmyn of a calendar that contained a reproduction of a drawing which resembled a drawing appearing on the cover of one of the books in the Suske en Wiske.