The article discusses the legal protection of computer programs in Europe through the EC Directive. It covers various aspects such as the object of protection, authorship, beneficiaries, restricted acts, exceptions, decompilation, special protection measures, term of protection, and final provisions. The Directive is compared to the legal frameworks in the United States, Japan, and other European countries. The goal is to provide a guide for practitioners on the legislation process and the implications of the Directive in different Member states.