Supreme People’s Court Revises the Judicial Interpretation on Copyright Civil Disputes

On August 20, 2026, the Supreme People’s Court promulgated the Decision of the Supreme People’s Court on Amending the Interpretation of the Supreme People’s Court on Several Issues Concerning the Application of Law in the Trial of Copyright Civil Dispute Cases (the “Decision”), which shall enter into force on September 1, 2026.

The Decision clarifies that “making available to the public” means disclosure to unspecified persons and does not require that the public have actual knowledge thereof. It removes the “outdoor” limitation on artistic works displayed in public places; the results of copying, drawing, photographing, or video recording may be further used reasonably, but may not, without permission, be set up, displayed, or publicly disseminated in the same manner. The republication by newspapers and periodicals is limited to print newspapers and periodicals approved for publication by the competent authorities and digital versions identical in content and layout; mutual republication of works between newspapers and periodicals and Internet information service providers, as well as between Internet information service providers, requires permission and remuneration. The rules on case acceptance, evidence, compensation, and the application of new and old laws are also adjusted.