Copyright: (reminder): the purchase of a work does not entail the transfer of reproduction rights!
[12/12/2025]
In its ruling of 20 November 2025, the Court of Appeal of Douai condemned a Champagne house for reproducing a work on its bottle labels without written authorisation from the author. The work was commissioned in 2015 for display in a reception room – but not for commercial use.
This case is a reminder of a number of key principles concerning the exploitation of copyright:
1. tacit transfer cannot be invoked even in cases where the author tolerates or is aware of the exploitation.
2. the theory of the accessory can only be applied when the work is reproduced by chance and unintentionally,
3. the acquisition of a physical work does not confer any right to reproduce it.
Link to the judgment.
So, before any use of a work (logo, photo, illustration…), make sure you obtain the rights by drawing up a copyright assignment agreement.
We would be happy to assist you in these steps.