Supreme Court of Sweden agrees to try Bildkonst Upphovsrätt i Sverige versus Wikimedia Sverige

March 20, 2015

The highest court in Sweden, the, agreed on Monday to try the case "Ö 849-15" between  (BUS, Visual Arts Copyright Society in Sweden) and Wikimedia Sverige (Wikimedia Sweden). The jurisprudence could result in being effectively overturned in Sweden, requiring websites such as, which is maintained by the Wikimedia Foundation, to delete thousands of images.

Not long after Wikimedia Sverige created the website offentligkonst.se to publish images and metadata about artworks placed in public spaces in Sweden, BUS, a pro-copyright lobby, advocated that it constituted infringement on the artists' copyright. The current lawsuit opposes the interpretation of Wikimedia — that artwork permanently installed in public space should be subject to the Freedom of Panorama exception that is in effect in Sweden — to that of BUS — that is creation (') of images and videos of an artwork in a public space is allowed, their distribution (') remains prohibited.

, an author and former leader of the which advocates, commented on her ,


 * Images over which BUS are suing Wikimedia Sverige