Summary

The accessibility of creative works is of critical importance to society. Creations offer entertainment, new knowledge and inspiration but they can also be a decisive input for many subsequent works, technologies, and discoveries. Access to the results of creation is conducive to innovation in society and accelerates development in various realms of life. It is exactly for this reason that many universities, donors, OECD, World Bank, UNESCO, European Commission and other organisations have initiated projects, established strategies and policies to ensure open access. Some countries have even amended their current laws. This article concentrates on the introduction of the legal aspects of open access. The author creates connections between different realms of open access and analyses how far the regulation of open access could be taken without disproportionate interference with private autonomy or undue damage to public interests.