Copyright Policy & Notice & Takedown Procedure

This Copyright Policy (the “Policy”) explains how to submit notices regarding alleged copyright or related-rights infringements and how epub.shop responds. This Policy is not legal advice and may be updated at any time by publishing a revised version on the Website.

1. General Provisions

epub.shop respects intellectual property rights and operates in accordance with applicable laws, including the laws of Ukraine, as well as generally accepted Notice & Takedown practices.

The Platform operates as an informational service and technical intermediary. Materials available through the Platform may be processed and made available in an automated manner without prior editorial or legal review by the Administration. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the Administration is not the author, publisher, or rights holder of the materials referenced or made available through the Platform.

By submitting a notice under this Policy, the claimant confirms that the notice is submitted in good faith and acknowledges potential liability for false, misleading, or abusive submissions.

2. How to Submit a Notice (Notice)

If you are a rights holder (or an authorized representative) and believe that material available on epub.shop infringes your rights, you may submit a formal notice by email:

Recommended subject line: “Copyright Notice – [Title of Work]”.

3. Requirements for a Valid Notice

To be reviewed, your Notice must include all of the following information. Notices that are incomplete, lack sufficient detail, or do not reasonably establish rights may be rejected or left without action.

3.1. Identification of the copyrighted work

  • title of the work;
  • name of the author and/or rights holder;
  • brief description of the work;
  • if available, a link to an official publication/source.

3.2. Identification of the material on epub.shop

  • direct URL(s) to the page(s) where the material is referenced or made available on epub.shop.

3.3. Proof of rights / authorization

Please provide documentation reasonably sufficient to establish your rights or authority to act, such as:

  • license agreement, publishing agreement, or contract with the author/rights holder;
  • copyright registration details (if applicable);
  • power of attorney or authorization letter (for agents, publishers, or representatives).

3.4. Contact information

  • full legal name of the claimant or authorized representative;
  • company name (if applicable);
  • email address;
  • phone number;
  • mailing address (legal address or place of residence).

3.5. Required statements

“I have a good-faith belief that the use of the material identified in this Notice is not authorized by the rights holder, its agent, or the law.”

“I confirm that the information in this Notice is accurate, and that I am the rights holder or am duly authorized to act on behalf of the rights holder.”

3.6. Signature

  • a scanned or photographed handwritten signature; or
  • a digital/electronic signature; or
  • your typed full legal name at the end of the Notice (as an electronic signature).

4. Review Process (Takedown Procedure)

Upon receiving a Notice that meets the requirements of this Policy, the Administration may:

  1. review the Notice for completeness and reasonable validity;
  2. temporarily restrict access to the disputed material as a preventive technical measure (this does not constitute an admission of infringement);
  3. request additional information or documentation where necessary;
  4. evaluate the claim and make a decision to remove, restrict, or restore access to the material;
  5. notify the claimant of the outcome.

We aim to respond to properly submitted notices within 2–5 business days, depending on complexity and the completeness of the submitted information.

The Platform may refuse to remove or restrict material if the Notice is incomplete, is not sufficiently substantiated, conflicts with applicable law, or shows indications of abuse.

5. Counter-Notice (Appeal)

If material is removed or restricted in response to a Notice, the affected party may submit a Counter-Notice if they believe the claim is mistaken or unsubstantiated.

A Counter-Notice should include:

  • identification of the material affected (URL, title, description);
  • a clear explanation of why the claimant believes the Notice is erroneous or unjustified;
  • where applicable, documentation supporting the right to use/distribute the material;
  • full legal name, email, phone number, and mailing address;
  • a statement of good faith and acknowledgement of liability for false statements.

After reviewing a Counter-Notice, the Administration may restore access, maintain restrictions, or take other actions as required by applicable law and the circumstances.

6. Misuse and Abuse

Submitting false, misleading, incomplete, or abusive Notices or Counter-Notices may result in legal consequences. The Administration reserves the right to:

  • reject clearly baseless or abusive claims;
  • request additional proof of rights or authority;
  • limit the ability to submit Notices from repeat abusive claimants;
  • contact appropriate authorities in cases of deliberate misconduct.

7. Limitation of Liability

epub.shop is not a publishing house and does not conduct prior legal clearance for every item. The Platform does not have a technical ability to determine the legal status of each file in advance. Responsibility for unlawful submissions rests with the party who provided the material.

Access to materials may be provided in an individual, private, and time-limited manner and may be restricted or terminated for legal or technical reasons. The Administration acts promptly upon receipt of a properly submitted Notice.

8. Contact Information