Computer Programs Directive
[2] Economic pressure spurred the development of the first directive which had two goals (1) the harmonisation of the law and (2) dealing with the problems caused by the need for interoperability.1) that computer programs and any associated design material be protected under copyright as literary works within the sense of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.[4][5] The Directive also defined the copyright protection to be applied to computer programs: the owner of the copyright has the exclusive right to authorise (Art 4): However, these rights are subject to certain limitations (Art. 5).The duration of the copyright was originally fixed at the life of the author plus fifty years (Art.8), in accordance with the Berne Convention standard for literary works (Art.