As to whether the proposed European Communities (Copyright and Related Rights) Regulations 2003 are in line with the spirit of the information society directive, this needs to be considered in the context of the existing background provided by the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000. Apart from the aim of implementing particular instruments of international law, both the directive and the Act share the objective of putting in place a strong, balanced regime of protection for copyright and related rights at their own levels, systems capable of fully meeting the challenges of the information society. The making of the proposed regulations will be a small but necessary step in ensuring that Ireland maintains its current place among world leaders in the field of copyright protection and, in this regard, is fully in line with the information society directive in spirit and in letter.