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Copyright and digital cultural heritage

Copyright raises relevant questions for those who work with or otherwise use digital cultural heritage: how do you legally share collections online and support their reuse? How can you deal with legal risk? How are legal and policy changes shaping this area? 

The Europeana Initiative offers free, up-to-date and expert guidance, resources, standards, webinars and an active community for all professionals who work with copyright in the cultural heritage sector. Explore these below.  

Training

Learn and test your knowledge on copyright and the use of rights statements.

Tools and knowledge

Access resources and documentation on topics which support cultural heritage professionals to build understanding of copyright in relation to digital cultural heritage.

FAQs on Out of Commerce works
Title:
Helsingin rautatieasema, perspektiivipiirustus keskushallista
Creator:
Saarinen, Eliel
Date:
1913
Institution:
Museum of Finnish Architecture
Country:
Finland

FAQs on Out of Commerce works

Discover information about out of commerce works. 

Recommendations on copyright and its role in the digital transformation of the cultural heritage sector
Title:
Exterieur van de bibliotheek van de Humboldtuniversiteit te Berlijn
Date:
c.1890 - c.1910
Institution:
Rijksmuseum
Country:
Netherlands

Recommendations on copyright and its role in the digital transformation of the cultural heritage sector

During the German Presidency of the Council of the European Union, Europeana held a conference to explore the copyright challenges the cultural heritage sector faces as it embraces its digital transformation. Read the report.

Standards for rights information

We support the use of Creative Commons Licences and Tools, and through the Rights Statements Consortium, we offer additional tools to standardise the way you communicate rights information about online collections.

Open access

We advocate for open access through our policies and frameworks, and encourage you to open your collections up for reuse. Learn about the benefits of removing barriers to reuse and explore the experiences of other institutions.

Copyright Directive

Gain an understanding of recent and upcoming legal and policy changes in the European Union and your country.

Network and communities

Join our vibrant Copyright Communityto engage, collaborate and transfer knowledge with peers and experts working on copyright and digital cultural heritage.

Events

Register for upcoming events which support cultural heritage professionals to gain new skills and knowledge.

Webinars

Learn from various useful and successful approaches to clearing rights and to managing copyright in a cultural heritage institution.

News

Keep up to date with policy and practice around copyright and digital cultural heritage.

Europeana Foundation, Creative Commons and IFLA join forces to defend Net Neutrality in the EU
Title:
Detail from Minerva
Creator:
Rembrandt van Rijn
Date:
1630
Institution:
Mauritshuis
Country:
Netherlands

Europeana Foundation, Creative Commons and IFLA join forces to defend Net Neutrality in the EU

Created: 23 May 2023

Discover our joint submission to the European Commission’s consultation on the future of the electronic communications sector and its infrastructure, and how it reflects on the views of knowledge and cultural institutions.

Discover insights from the Copyright office hours: copyright basics
Title:
Übungen an der Sprossenwand
Creator:
Hamann, Heinrich
Date:
um 1909
Institution:
Museum of Arts and Crafts, Hamburg
Country:
Germany

Discover insights from the Copyright office hours: copyright basics

Created: 26 April 2023

With 26 April marking World Intellectual Property Day, we kick off our Pro news series sharing insights from our Copyright Office Hours on the Copyright Basics. Discover new approaches, the hot topics of the moment - and how to join future sessions! 

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