The EU’s sui generis rights provide unique protection for databases based on substantial investment in their creation and maintenance. Unlike traditional copyright, this protection focuses on the database's structure and organization, rather than the data itself. However, it is limited to jurisdictions with similar protections, such as the EU, and does not extend globally.

The C-145/10 Painer case clarified that photographers have exclusive rights over their portraits, as long as the photograph reflects their creative choices. The European Court of Justice ruled that a photograph can be copyrighted if it shows personal intellectual creation. This decision strengthens photographers' control over their work and limits the use of their images by media outlets without permission, even for news reporting.