The Italian Legislative decree No 22 of 21 February 2014 that implements the European Union’s directive No. 2011/77 concerning the term of protection for copyrights and certain related rights came into force on 26 March 2014.
The Italian copyright law extended the protection of the rights of performers and phonogram producers on music recordings within the EU from 50 to 70 years.
According to the amendments of articles 75 and 85 of the Italian copyright law,” the rights of performers and phonogram producers have a protection term of 50 years as from the performance or the fixation of the phonogram; if a fixation of a performance in a phonogram is lawfully published or communicated to the public within the term of 50 years, the rights have a term of 70 years (50 before the amendment) from the date of the first publication or, if earlier, from that of the first communication to the public.”
Two new articles were added to the Italian copyright law, which regulate respectively the remuneration of contracts and the right of the performer to withdraw.