UK reveals orphan works plan

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2026

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

UK reveals orphan works plan

The UK government has today published its response to a public consultation on plans for a licensing scheme for orphan copyright works

It said it received 57 responses to its consultation, which closed in February. The government now plans to allow the Intellectual Property Office to take on the role of an authorising body so that people can use orphan works ­­lawfully.

The authorising body will take the place of an absent copyright owner and consider applications to use orphan works. It will also decide what fees a user should pay, grant a licence to the user, and hold the fees it receives for a certain period of time.

The government says that users will only be granted a licence if they can show that they have carried out a diligent search for the copyright owner.

The final regulations and explanatory memorandum are expected to be laid before Parliament before September.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Mike Rueckheim reunites with 12 of his former Winston & Strawn colleagues as King & Spalding continues aggressive hiring streak
As global commerce continues to expand through e-commerce platforms and digital marketplaces, protecting brands has become a growing challenge for organisations worldwide. Counterfeiting, intellectual property infringement, and online brand abuse are increasing across industries, making brand protection strategies a critical priority for businesses.
Henrik Holzapfel and Chuck Larsen of McDermott Will & Schulte explain why a Court of Appeal ruling could promote access to justice and present a growth opportunity for litigation finance
A co-partner in charge says the UK prosecution teams are a ‘vital’ part of the firm’s offering, while praising a key injunction win
A team from White & Case has checked in on behalf of Premier Inn Hotels in a UK trademark and passing off case against a cookie brand
Litigation team says pre-trial work and a Section 101 defence helped significantly limit damages payable by ride-sharing firm Lyft in patent case
News of Avanci hiring a senior vice president and the EPO teaming up with a French AI startup were also among the top talking points
Explosm, the independent Texas studio behind the hit webcomic Cyanide & Happiness, partnered with Temu’s IP protection team to combat counterfeiters infringing on its brand
The latest in a dispute over juicing machines, and a shakeup in judicial compositions were also among the top developments
Patent partner Robert Hollingshead explains why the firm remains committed to Japan despite several US firms exiting the Japanese and greater Asia market
Gift this article