A new Mozambique copyright law, the Copyright Law 9/2022, came into effect on 26 September 2022, revoking the previous law, Decree No. 4/2001. It’s worth noting that Mozambique is a signatory to the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.

Some important features of the new legislation are as follows:

  • The creator of the work is the copyright owner
  • No formality such as registration is required for copyright, although registration does confer the benefit of creating a legal presumption that the registrant is the owner
  • Registration is done with the National Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries, IP (INICC, IP)
  • The copyright term is 70 years for literary works, and 50 years for computer programmes and phonograms
  • There is provision for free access to copyrighted works for disabled people
  • There are civil and criminal remedies for infringement

Further details will be made available in due course.