Urheberrechtsgesetz, Sui Generis Database Right
URG, LGBl. 1999 Nr. 160, Arts. 45-49 and 64
A citation is an address, not a summary. The first part names the law; what follows narrows it to the exact section, article or paragraph.
In force.
A database right rule binding public and private bodies.
As of 6 September 2026.
What it requires
- Do not extract or re-utilize the whole, or a qualitatively or quantitatively substantial part, of the contents of a database whose producer made a substantial investment in obtaining, verifying, or presenting those contents, without the producer's authorization.
- Do not repeatedly and systematically extract or re-utilize insubstantial parts of such a database's contents in a manner that conflicts with the database's normal exploitation or unreasonably prejudices the producer's legitimate interests.
- A narrow exception exists for a lawful user's non-substantial extraction for private use of a non-electronic database, or for teaching or non-commercial scientific research with the source cited.
If you get it wrong
Criminal exposureYes
Criminal exposure note
Article 64: up to one year's imprisonment or a fine of up to 360 daily rates for extracting or re-utilizing the whole or a substantial part of a database's contents, or for repeated and systematic extraction or re-utilization of insubstantial parts in a manner conflicting with normal exploitation, on the aggrieved party's complaint; up to three years where committed on a commercial basis, prosecuted by the public prosecutor.
What this law does
Drafted with AI from the cited sources under the direction of UnGovr staff. UnGovr holds editorial responsibility for this page.
The producer of a database that required a qualitatively or quantitatively substantial investment in obtaining, verifying, or presenting its contents has the right to prohibit the extraction or re-utilization of the whole, or a substantial part, of that database's contents (Art. 45), independent of any copyright in the database or its contents.
The right runs for 15 years from completion of the database (Art. 49), and belongs to a producer who is a national of, or habitually resident in, an EEA member state, or a company with a genuine link to one (Art. 46), reflecting the sui generis right's EEA-wide incorporation of EU Directive 96/9/EC.
A lawful user of a publicly available database may extract or re-utilize a non-substantial part without authorization for private use of a non-electronic database, for teaching or scientific research with attribution, or for public security or administrative or judicial proceedings (Art. 48).
Unauthorized extraction or re-utilization is a criminal offense on the aggrieved party's complaint, with up to one year's imprisonment or a fine of up to 360 daily rates, rising to up to three years for a commercial infringement (Art. 64).
When LexLint raises it
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Read the law
Urheberrechtsgesetz (URG), official consolidated text, Liechtenstein legislation database (Lilex)