Copyright in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Jurisdiction	Procedure stipulations
Armenia	Law on Copyright and Related Rights of Armenia does not foresee provisions on voluntary registration, but provides voluntary deposition of the objects on the basis of the Article 64(1)(e) in the non-governmental organization of collective management of authors' copyright.
Azerbaijan	In frame of procedure National Office verifies the presence of the necessary documents and materials and their correspondence to the requirements. Upon a positive result of the verification, the above-mentioned authority records the copyright object into the Official Copyright Register and issues an electronic/paper certificate (by request). The common list of required documents and data is the following: Full name(s), address(es) and the date of birth(s) of the author(s); Full name(s), address(es) of the Rightsholder(s); Title of the copyright object; Date of object creation; Sample of the copyright object; Bases for the origin of the applicant's rights (if the applicant is not the author); Data about previous registration(s) (Certificate(s) No., the date of registration(s)) (if any); Place and date of the first publication of the object (the name of the country and the date of publication) (if any); In case the object is derived (based on the existing object of other author(s)) or composite (includes objects of other author(s)), the title of such existing objects and the full name of author(s) should be indicated as well as the basis of origin of right to use such objects; Copies of the author's passport and Rightsholder’s passport for natural persons or a copy of the document certifying state registration for the legal entity; Notarized and legalized Power of Attorney; Other documents and materials depending on copyright object, for example: Traditional copyright objects: musical compositions: full musical score, digital recordings, lyrics (if applicable); artistic works: high-resolution images of paintings, sculptures, drawings, or photographs with descriptions (title, dimensions, materials used, etc.); literary works: full manuscript or a sample of the text, along with a synopsis or brief description; Digital copyright objects: software and applications: source code, user manuals, technical documentation, and proof of originality (such as development logs or earlier drafts) and etc. The procedure of copyright registration in Azerbaijan usually takes about 2-3 months.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania	The national procedure of copyright registration is not stipulated by the Legislation of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. At the same time, registration of the copyright object in one of the countries of the Berne Convention where such a procedure exists is recognized (for example, in Ukraine).
Georgia	As per the established governmental procedure, author or Rightsholder entailed to register copyright object via depositing the original or copy with the National Center of Intellectual Property of Georgia (“Sakpatenti”). In the absence of proof to the contrary, the person indicated in a deposition electronic, or paper certificate shall be deemed as the author of object or Rightsholder. The common list of required documents and data is the following: Full name(s), address(es) and the date of birth(s) of the author(s); Full name(s), address(es) of the Rightsholder(s); Copy of the document certifying state registration of the legal entity (if the Rightsholder is a legal entity); Title of the copyright object; Date of creation of the object; Sample of the copyright object; Bases for the origin of the applicant's rights (if the applicant is not the author) and the document (agreement) confirming the ownership of property rights; Signed and stamped Power of Attorney (notarization is required for the legal entity); Other documents and materials depending on copyright object, for example: Traditional copyright objects: for written objects: manuscripts, synopses, or excerpts that sufficiently identify the object; photographs and visual art: high-quality reproductions, accompanied by technical details (dimensions, medium, and creation date); Digital copyright objects: web designs: screenshots of key pages, HTML/CSS/JavaScript files, and a description of the design's concept and purpose and etc. The procedure of copyright deposition in Georgia usually takes about 2-3 months.
Kazakhstan	In accordance with the established procedure, registration of copyright at the state level is possible only if the copyright object has not yet been made public (published or brought to public attention by other means). Such registration serves to confirm non-property rights - authorship of the object. Contemporaneously, at the request of the applicant, both an electronic copy and a paper version of the registration certificate are issued to confirm the rights to the copyright object. The common list of required documents and data is the following: Full name(s), address(es) and the date of birth(s) of the author(s); Full name(s), address(es) of the Rightsholder(s); Title of the copyright object; Sample of the copyright object; Brief description of the copyright object; Bases for the origin of the applicant's rights (if the applicant is not the author) and the document (agreement) confirming the ownership of property rights; Copies of the author's passport and Rightsholder’s passport for natural persons or a copy of the document certifying state registration of the legal entity; Signed and stamped Power of Attorney; Other documents and materials depending on copyright object, for example: Traditional copyright objects: musical compositions: musical score (sheet music), audio recordings (MP3, WAV), and lyrics if the work includes vocal elements; architectural works: design blueprints, technical drawings, 3D models, or high-resolution images of completed structures, along with a description of the architectural concept. Digital copyright objects: computer programs and databases: an abstract including the name of the program or database; basic technical characteristics and programming language of the program or database, as well as the type of implementing program for the computer or database, etc. The procedure of copyright registration in Kazakhstan usually takes about 1 month.
Kyrgyzstan	At the state level in Kyrgyzstan, registration of copyright objects is carried out in the State Register of Copyright Objects of the Kyrgyz Republic by issuing a paper registration certificate to the author or Rightsholder. The common list of required documents and data is the following: Full name(s), address(es) and the date of birth(s) of the author(s); Full name(s), address(es) of the Rightsholder(s); Title of the copyright object; Date of creation of the object; Sample of the copyright object; Brief description of the copyright object; Bases for the origin of the applicant's rights (if the applicant is not the author) and the notarized document (agreement) confirming the ownership of property rights; Copies of the author's passport and Rightsholder’s passport for natural persons or a copy of the document certifying state registration of the legal entity; In case the object is derived (based on the existing object of other author(s)) or composite (includes objects of other author(s)), the title of such existing objects and the full name of author(s) should be indicated as well as the basis of origin of right to use such objects; Place and date of the first public disclosure of the object, if any; Signed and stamped Power of Attorney; Other documents and materials depending on copyright object, for example: Traditional copyright objects: choreographic works (e.g., ballet, folk dances); visual documentation (video recordings) of the performance and written description of the choreography (steps, movements, and sequence); music objects (e.g., sheet music, song lyrics): sheet music or written musical score and audio or video recording of the work (if available); Digital copyright objects: user Interfaces (UI/UX) designs: screenshots or exported assets in commonly used formats, functional prototypes showcasing navigation and interactions, explanation of the usability and innovative features; computer software/mobile applications: instruction manuals or user guides, if available, etc. The procedure of copyright registration in Kyrgyzstan usually takes about 2 months.
Moldova	On the basis of an application for registration the State Agency on Intellectual Property verifies the presence of the necessary documents and materials and their correspondence to the requirements. Upon a positive result of the verification the above-mentioned authority issues paper certificate of the official registration to the applicant. The common list of required documents and data is the following: Full name(s), address(es) and the date of birth(s) of the author(s); Full name(s), address(es) of the Rightsholder(s); Title of the copyright object; Copy of the ID card (passport); Date of creation of the object; Two samples of the copyright object; Bases for the origin of the applicant's rights (if the applicant is not the author); In case the object is derived (based on the existing object of other author(s)) or composite (includes objects of other author(s)), the title of such existing objects and the full name of author(s) should be indicated as well as the basis of origin of right to use such objects; Signed and stamped Power of Attorney; Other documents and materials depending on copyright object, for example: Traditional copyright objects: pantomimes: video recordings of the performance. Digital copyright objects: algorithmic music or art object: code or algorithms used to generate the music or art and samples of the music or visual art generated by the algorithm, etc. The procedure of copyright registration in Moldova usually takes about 1 month.
Tajikistan	The procedure for registering a copyright at the state level in Tajikistan is based on an application to the copyright department of the Ministry of Culture of Tajikistan to include such an object in the state database of copyright objects. At the same time, a paper certificate issued to the author or right holder serves as confirmation of the entry of such an object. The common list of required documents and data is the following: Full name(s), address(es) and the date of birth(s) of the author(s); Full name(s), address(es) of the Rightsholder(s); For an individual - a copy of the identity document of the applicant; for a legal entity - certificate of registration of the enterprise is required, as well as an agreement between the author and the legal entity on the transfer of rights to the copyright object (for a foreign person, an additional notarized translation of the text of the document into the state language); Title of the copyright object; Date of creation of the object; Sample of the copyright object (in paper and electronic form); Brief description of the copyright object; Signed and stamped Power of Attorney; Other documents and materials depending on copyright object, for example: Traditional copyright objects: works of architecture, urban planning, garden and park art and landscape formations: abstract, which should contain the name of the work, architectural characteristics and parameters, if available - data on the location (address), time and place of creation. Digital copyright objects: computer programs and databases (data compilations): description of the object's tasks according to its functionality. The procedure of copyright registration in Tajikistan usually takes about 1 month.
Turkmenistan	The national procedure of copyright registration is stipulated only for computer programs, algorithms, databases with the issuance to the author or Rightsholder a paper certificate of copyright registration. The common list of required documents and data is the following: Full name(s), address(es) and the date of birth(s) of the author(s); Full name(s), address(es) of the Rightsholder(s); Title of the copyright object; Date of creation of the object; Sample of the copyright object (the first 25 and the last 25 pages of source code that identifies the program or the algorithm, including the page containing the copyright notice (the symbol of protection) and the page containing the name of the algorithm or computer program) or the entire source code for a object less than 50 pages in length; and the first 25 and the last 25 pages of listing for the data base containing one file (a set of connected records considered as one unit); Brief description of the copyright object (the purpose, the scope, the functionality, the main technical characteristics, the name of programming, the type of realizing IBM); Data about previous registration(s)/certificate(s), if any (number, registration date); Place and date of the first public disclosure of the object, if any; Bases for the origin of the applicant's rights (if the applicant is not the author); In case the object is derived (based on the existing object of other author(s)) or composite (includes objects of other author(s)), the title of such existing objects and the full name of author(s) should be indicated as well as the basis of origin of right to use such objects; Signed and stamped Power of Attorney; Other documents and materials depending on kind of case. The procedure of copyright registration in Turkmenistan usually takes about 2-3 months.
Ukraine	The copyright registration procedure is carried out by the relevant authorized body of the Ukrainian National Office of Intellectual Property and Innovation, where information about copyright object is recorded in the state register and the author or Rightsholde provided with both an electronic certificate and a paper one (depending on the request). The common list of required documents and data is the following: Full name(s), address(es) and the date of birth(s) of the author(s); Full name(s), address(es) of the Rightsholder(s); Title of the copyright object; Date of creation of the object; Sample of the copyright object; Brief description of the copyright object; Data about previous registration(s)/certificate(s), if any (number, registration date); Place and date of the first public disclosure of the object, if any; In case the object was created under labor contract and the Rightsholder is the employer of the author(s), the document confirming the ownership of property rights should be provided; In case the object is derived (based on the existing object of other author(s)) or composite (includes objects of other author(s)), the title of such existing objects and the full name of author(s) should be indicated as well as the basis of origin of right to use such objects. A copy of the copyright agreement signed by the Rightsholder with the copyright owner of the existing object could be demanded to provide; Signed and stamped Power of Attorney; Other documents and materials depending on copyright object, for example: Traditional copyright objects: works of applied art, including works of decorative weaving, ceramics, carving, foundry, art glass, artistic forging, jewelry: additional copies in the form of photographs from different angles or drawings, an annotation with characteristics and parameters; audiovisual works: consent of all participants participating in the recording may be required regarding the registration of the copyright object, etc. Digital copyright objects: short video content for social networks (Reels, Shorts, TikTok): content metadata (title, duration, production date); YouTube video content: thumbnails, scripts, descriptions, and any associated metadata or tags that identify the content; Artificial Intelligence (AI) models: training datasets, and architecture description, development logs (proof of creation and development process (e.g., version control logs)); NFT Collections: blockchain metadata including the unique identifiers (hash), details of the smart contract used for the NFT, development process and evidence that the collection is unique; Virtual Reality (VR) environments: code used for building the VR experience, video walkthroughs or images of the VR environment, explanation of the VR functionality and user experience; Metaverse reality as copyright object: CAD files or detailed schematics for architectural or object structures, platform or ecosystem where the object is hosted (e.g., Decentraland, Roblox, Meta), video or interactive presentation showing how the object operates within the metaverse and etc. The procedure of copyright registration in Ukraine usually takes about 2-3 months.
Uzbekistan	The national procedure of copyright registration is stipulated only for computer programs and data bases with the issuance of a paper copy of the copyright registration certificate. At the same time, there are possible options for recording authorship for other copyright objects. For example, it is possible to register copyright object by depositing via State Unitary Enterprise "Intellektual mulk konsultativ markazi" (IP Center) having received an electronic copy of the deposit certificate. The common list of required documents and data is the following: Full name(s), address(es) and the date of birth(s) of the author(s); Full name(s), address(es) of the Rightsholder(s); Title of the copyright object; Date of creation of the object; Sample of the copyright object (the source code of the computer program or materials identifying the database in a volume which should not exceed 70 pages (minimum margin size, mm: top - 20, right - 20, bottom - 20, left - 25)); The basic interface(s); Brief description of the object; Data about previous registration(s)/certificate(s), if any (number, registration date); Place and date of the first public disclosure of the object, if any; Bases for the origin of the applicant's rights (if the applicant is not the author); In case the object is derived (based on the existing object of other author(s)) or composite (includes objects of other author(s)), the title of such existing objects and the full name of author(s) should be indicated as well as the basis of origin of right to use such objects; Abstract of the software with the following information: Program name; Summary, which discloses the purpose, scope and functional capabilities of the program. The volume of the abstract should not exceed 700 characters; Type of implementing computer; Programming language; Type and version of the operating system; Program size in machine-readable form in kilobytes. Signed and stamped Power of Attorney; Other documents and materials depending on kind of case. The national procedure of copyright registration in Uzbekistan usually takes about 2-3 months. The common list of required documents and data for copyright depositing: Copies of the author/s' or Rightsholder(s) passports; Sample of the copyright object; Signed and stamped Power of Attorney; Other documents and materials depending on kind of case. Depositing process via State Unitary Enterprise takes about 10 business days.