The National Audiovisual Centre (Centre national de l’audiovisuel - CNA) holds the documents submitted to it for the purpose of legal deposit.

These documents broadcast in Luxembourg as well as those broadcast abroad that concern Luxembourg are:

• video or audio documents;
• multimedia works.

Video and audio documents are deemed to be any document broadcast and made available to the public, even if said public may be a limited audience only. If the document or work has not been made available to the public, the legal deposit must be completed within 12 months from the end of the production of the document or work at the latest.

Legal deposit is compulsory and must be completed before a claim is made by the CNA.

Who is concerned

The natural or legal person who is required to submit the legal deposit is:

• the producer or their representative, in the absence thereof;
• the broadcaster, in the absence thereof;
• the director, in the absence thereof;
• the editor, in the absence thereof;
• the author of the document or work.

Prerequisites

Video and audio documents as well as multimedia works produced in Luxembourg, created in Luxembourg or concerning Luxembourg must be deposited within the framework of legal deposit with the National Audiovisual Centre.

A production in Luxembourg is deemed to be any document or work that:

• is produced or coproduced by a natural or legal person residing or having their registered office in Luxembourg;
• is produced with the support of the Luxembourg State;
• is created in full or in part in Luxembourg and produced by a natural or legal person residing or having their registered office abroad.

Video and audio document types as well as multimedia works submitted to the CNA for the purpose of legal deposit can be the following:

• short, medium-length or full feature films;
• documentaries;
• fiction;
• series;
• video games and documents;
• advertising and promotional documents;
• phonograms;
• television programmes;
• radio programmes;
• those concerning politics, economics, society, culture, science, religion or tourism in Luxembourg.

If these documents or works are broadcast without material support through airwaves or an electronic network (such as available in streaming or downloadable from the internet), they are also subject to legal deposit with the CNA.

The following versions of all these documents and works are also subject to legal deposit:

• non-first editions;
• adaptations;
• restored versions;
• new versions;
• translated versions.

Deadlines

Legal deposits with the National Audiovisual Centre must be completed within 12 months from the day on which the document or work was made available to the public no matter in which form.

If the document or work has not been made available to the public, the legal deposit must be completed within 12 months from the end of the production of the document or work at the latest.

Costs

A legal deposit with the National Audiovisual Centre is free of charge.

How to proceed

Submission of documents to the National Audiovisual Centre

The legal deposit with the CNA of documents and works has to be carried out:

• by hand; or
• by post.

The documents and works must be deposited in the format determined by the CNA.

The copies submitted must be of perfect quality. If necessary, the copies have to be submitted together with the material and equipment necessary for their keeping and use.

After all elements have been inspected, the CNA issues a legal deposit receipt to the applicant.

Conditions for legal deposits

Deposit of video documents

The following must be deposited:

• a negative film, in the absence thereof;
  • an intermediary photochemical medium, in the absence thereof;
  • a positive film, without subtitles, in the absence thereof;
  • a ready-to-use photochemical film, in the absence thereof;
  • 2 physical copies of the document, if they exist;
• a digital copy of the master;
• a digital copy for consultation purposes;
• all related necessary material, an information sheet on the technical and artistic parameters, on the nature and the exact scope of intellectual property rights, as defined by the CNA.

Deposit of television programmes

The following have to be deposited:

• a copy of the television programme concerned;
• a copy of the radio broadcasting programme;
• all related necessary material, an information sheet on the technical and artistic parameters, on the nature and the exact scope of intellectual property rights, as defined by the CNA.

Deposit of audio documents

The following have to be deposited:

• a copy of the document in the format made available to the public;
• a copy of the digital file;
• all related necessary material, an information sheet on the technical and artistic parameters, on the nature and the exact scope of intellectual property rights, as defined by the CNA.

Deposit of radio documents

The following have to be deposited:

• a copy of the document as provided to the radio broadcaster;
• a copy of the radio broadcasting programme;
• an information sheet on the technical and artistic parameters, on the nature and the exact scope of intellectual property rights, as defined by the CNA.

Deposit of multimedia works

The following have to be deposited:

• a copy of the original multimedia document;
• a digital copy of the original master file;
• a digital copy for consultation purposes;
• all related necessary material, an information sheet on the technical and artistic parameters, on the nature and the exact scope of intellectual property rights, as defined by the CNA.

Who to contact