According to [1] stamps from Ukraine are in the public domain. This
would follow from the following two clauses from respectively the
Ukrainian Copyright Law [2] and Postal Law [3]:
(d) State symbols of Ukraine, government awards;
symbols and signs of
government authorities, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other
military formations; symbols of territorial communities; symbols and
signs of enterprises, institutions and organizations;
postage stamp - a state sign, manufactured according
to the procedure
set forth by legislation, with specified face value and state,
serving as the tool of payment for postal services provided by the
national operator.
The Russian Copright [4] and Postal [5] laws include similar clauses:
Article 8. Works Not Protected by Copyright
The following are not protected by copyright:
official documents (laws, court decisions, other texts of
legislative, administrative or judicial character) and official
translations thereof; State emblems and official signs (flags,
armorial bearings, decorations, monetary signs and other State
symbols and official signs); works of folklore; communications
concerning events and facts that have informational character.
the state signs of post payment - post stamps and
other signs,
applied to the post sendings and those confirming the payment of
services to postal communication;
[
1]http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Stamps/Public_domain
[
2]http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Ukraine._Law_on_Copyright_and_Related_Rights
[3]http://www.welcometo.kiev.ua/pls/ili/docs/LAW_ENG/EQ2759-III_28-05-03.HTML
[
4]http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Russian_Federation._Law_on_Copyright_and_Ne…
[5]http://www.russianpost.ru/resp_engine.aspx?Path=RU/Home/law/postlaw
Would it be correct to conclude that Russian stamps are in the public
domain as well?
Ruud