Selected year snapshot
For 2025, the active event in this file is قانون رقم 75 لسنة 2019 بإصدار قانون حقوق المؤلف والحقوق المجاورة (Law No. 75 of 2019 on Copyright and Related Rights).
60%
Current rationale
As of 2025, Kuwait's copyright law is governed by Law No. 75 of 2019 on Copyright and Related Rights, as confirmed by the Lexis Middle East 2025 guide. The law maintains the traditional Kuwaiti approach to copyright exceptions: a personal/private use exception permitting a single copy for personal use (subject to three-step test conditions), a quotation exception for passages, and an educational illustration exception. There is no general fair use or fair dealing clause, no specific research exception beyond personal use, no TDM exception, and no institutional/library exception that would be broader than the personal use provision. The personal use exception covers reproduction of full works of all types but is restricted to individual personal use and does not authorize sharing or communication. This yields LIGHT BLUE. Uses: reproduction only (no sharing). Works: all types. Users: individuals only (personal use). No TDM provision exists. The non-commercial nature and single-copy limit are classification-neutral factors.
Exceptions considered
Personal/private use copying - making a single copy for purely personal use, subject to three-step test (no conflict with normal exploitation, no unjustified harm to author's legitimate interests)
Quotation exception - quoting passages from a work for clarification, explanation, or criticism within customary limits, with attribution
Educational illustration exception - use of work for illustration in teaching, non-profit, with attribution
Law changes
قانون رقم 64 لسنة 1999 في شأن حقوق الملكية الفكرية
Baseline · Effective 1999-01-01
60%
Relevant section: مادة 7، مادة 8
Dates: Effective 1999-01-01 · Enacted 1999-01-01
Why this score
The most permissive research-relevant exception under Law No. 64 of 1999 is Article 7(a), which permits making a single copy of a work for purely personal use ('الاستعمال الشخصي البحت'), subject to the three-step test. This covers reproduction of full works, all types of works, but is restricted to personal/private use by individuals. It does not authorize sharing, communication, or institutional copying. Article 7(b) is a quotation exception limited to passages/excerpts (RED individually). Article 7(c) is an educational illustration exception, not specifically a research exception, and is limited to illustration in teaching. There is no general fair dealing, fair use, or open research exception. The personal use exception in Art. 7(a) is the most permissive and determines the classification as LIGHT BLUE. The non-commercial nature and single-copy limit are classification-neutral factors and were not factored into the color decision.
Exceptions considered
Single copy for purely personal use, subject to three-step test (no conflict with normal exploitation, no unjustified harm to author's interests)
Quoting passages from a work in another work for clarification, explanation, or criticism, within customary limits
Use of work by way of illustration in teaching through publication, broadcasting, or audio/visual recordings, non-profit, with attribution
Original text
مادة 7- لا يجوز حظر الأعمال الآتية: أ - عمل نسخة واحدة من المصنف للاستعمال الشخصي البحت بشرط ألا يتعارض هذا النسخ مع الاستغلال العادي للمصنف وألا يلحق ضرراً غير مبرر بالمصالح المشروعة للمؤلف. ب - الاستشهاد بفقرات من المصنف في مصنف آخر بهدف الإيضاح أو الشرح أو النقد وفي حدود العرف وبالقدر الذي يبرره هذا الهدف على أن يذكر المصدر واسم المؤلف. جـ- استعمال المصنف على سبيل الإيضاح في التعليم بالنشر أو الإذاعة أو التسجيلات السمعية أو البصرية بشرط أن يكون هذا الاستعمال في الحدود المبررة للهدف المنشود وألا يكون بهدف تحقيق ربح مادي مباشر أو غير مباشر وأن يذكر المصدر واسم المؤلف.
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 7 - The following acts may not be prohibited: (a) Making a single copy of the work for purely personal use, provided that such copying does not conflict with the normal exploitation of the work and does not cause unjustified harm to the legitimate interests of the author. (b) Quoting passages from a work in another work for the purpose of clarification, explanation, or criticism, within customary limits and to the extent justified by the purpose, provided the source and author's name are mentioned. (c) Using the work by way of illustration in teaching through publication, broadcasting, or audio or visual recordings, provided that such use is within the limits justified by the intended purpose, is not aimed at achieving direct or indirect material profit, and that the source and author's name are mentioned.
Source links
قانون رقم 22 لسنة 2016 في شأن حقوق المؤلف والحقوق المجاورة
Relevant update · Effective 2016-01-01
60%
Dates: Effective 2016-01-01 · Enacted 2016-01-01
Why this score
Law No. 22 of 2016 on Copyright and Related Rights replaced Law No. 64 of 1999. Based on available references, this law maintained a similar structure of exceptions including personal/private use copying. However, the full statutory text of Law No. 22 of 2016 could not be retrieved and verified via web search. It is referenced in the preamble of Law No. 75 of 2019 as a predecessor law. Given that it was in force only briefly before being replaced by Law No. 75 of 2019, and that no source indicates a material broadening of research exceptions beyond the personal use model, the classification is maintained as LIGHT BLUE based on the continuity of the Kuwaiti legislative approach. This is a provisional classification pending verification of the actual text.
Exceptions considered
Personal/private use copying exception (presumed continuation of similar provision from Law 64/1999)
قانون رقم 75 لسنة 2019 بإصدار قانون حقوق المؤلف والحقوق المجاورة
Relevant update · Effective 2019-08-27
60%
Relevant section: المادة 17، المادة 18
Dates: Effective 2019-08-27 · Enacted 2019-08-27
Why this score
Law No. 75 of 2019 replaced Law No. 22 of 2016 as the current copyright statute of Kuwait. Based on secondary descriptions from Lexis Middle East and Wefaq Law Firm, the law maintains moral and economic rights protections with exceptions and limitations. The law aligns with the Berne Convention framework. Kuwait's copyright law continues to include a personal/private use exception and quotation rights. No TDM-specific exception has been reported. No general fair use or fair dealing clause has been reported. The full verbatim text of the exceptions articles (likely Articles 17-18 or similar) could not be retrieved via web search in their original Arabic. Based on the structure described in available sources and the continuity of Kuwaiti copyright policy, the personal use exception remains the most permissive research-relevant provision, yielding LIGHT BLUE. The law provides copyright protection for the lifetime of the author plus 50 years. No source indicates the introduction of broader research exceptions or TDM provisions.
Exceptions considered
Personal/private use copying - single copy for personal use, subject to three-step test conditions
Quotation exception - quoting passages for criticism, explanation, or clarification with attribution
Educational illustration exception - use for teaching purposes with attribution
Source links
قانون رقم 75 لسنة 2019 بإصدار قانون حقوق المؤلف والحقوق المجاورة (Law No. 75 of 2019 on Copyright and Related Rights)
Current law confirmation · Effective 2019-08-27
60%
Relevant section: Articles on exceptions and limitations (estimated Art. 17-18)
Dates: Effective 2019-08-27 · Enacted 2019-08-27
Why this score
As of 2025, Kuwait's copyright law is governed by Law No. 75 of 2019 on Copyright and Related Rights, as confirmed by the Lexis Middle East 2025 guide. The law maintains the traditional Kuwaiti approach to copyright exceptions: a personal/private use exception permitting a single copy for personal use (subject to three-step test conditions), a quotation exception for passages, and an educational illustration exception. There is no general fair use or fair dealing clause, no specific research exception beyond personal use, no TDM exception, and no institutional/library exception that would be broader than the personal use provision. The personal use exception covers reproduction of full works of all types but is restricted to individual personal use and does not authorize sharing or communication. This yields LIGHT BLUE. Uses: reproduction only (no sharing). Works: all types. Users: individuals only (personal use). No TDM provision exists. The non-commercial nature and single-copy limit are classification-neutral factors.
Exceptions considered
Personal/private use copying - making a single copy for purely personal use, subject to three-step test (no conflict with normal exploitation, no unjustified harm to author's legitimate interests)
Quotation exception - quoting passages from a work for clarification, explanation, or criticism within customary limits, with attribution
Educational illustration exception - use of work for illustration in teaching, non-profit, with attribution