TIRANA, Oct. 22 /ATA/ – Parliament on Thursday approved a copyright law aimed at strengthening protections for Albanian creators and bringing the country closer to European standards, Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja said.
The law introduces new rules for online platforms, requiring services such as YouTube, Facebook and TikTok to obtain authorisation to use copyrighted works and respond to copyright infringements.
International platforms operating in Albania without a local headquarters will also be required to appoint a legal representative in the country, giving Albanian authors a local point of contact to enforce their rights, Gonxhja said.
The legislation also strengthens authors’ contractual rights, including access to information on how their works are used and the revenue they generate, as well as the right to seek a review of contracts when remuneration is considered unfair.
The law will also open up the collective rights management market to greater competition and expand the ministry’s copyright protection capacity, including a dedicated digital rights unit and 11 additional staff, Gonxhja said.
The minister said the legislation would improve protection for Albanian creators, increase accountability for online platforms and align the country’s framework with European standards.
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