Contents

 

• International copyright treaties
• International copyright treaties

Each country creates Copyright which is a creation of law. Therefore there is nothing like called international copyright law. Nearly 180 countries have already ratified a treaty – the Berne Convention. It is administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization or WIPO. WIPO sets a minimum set of standards to protect the rights of the creators of copyrighted works all over the world. Additionally, there have been a lot of efforts to harmonize copyright law in Europe and other regions. The differences within the national copyright laws can show a good challenge for global organizations along with their employees who are actively working in different countries and sharing content across boundaries.

 

International copyright treaties

There are multiple international treaties encourage to coherent the protection of copyright reasonably from the country to country basis. They set the minimum standards of protection. Thereafter each of the signatory countries implements it within the bounds of its own copyright law. The laws are – National treatment principle, WIPO copyright treaty. The agreement on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights or TRIPS.

 

 National treatment principle

 

It works after originating in one signatory country. It provides the same protection in the other signatory countries because each of those countries grant to work of its own nationals.

 

WIPO copyright treaty

 

It was signed in the year 1996. It provides a clear idea about computer programs and databases which are protected by copyright. It helps to recognize the transmission of the works over the internet. Similar kind of works is exclusive right within the scopes provided by the copyright. This is originally held by the creator him or herself. It is categorized as copyright infringements both the circumstances of technological protection measures and the removal of a work of the embedded rights management information.

 

The agreement on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights or TRIPS

 

It was signed in the year 1996. It was administrated by the World Trade Organization. It includes some provisions which are related to IP rights enforcement. It tells us that national laws have to make effective enforcement of possible IP rights. It also describes the details of how the enforcements should be addressed.

 

Berne Convention and Universal copyright conventions

 

Berne Convention

 

It is the oldest and also the most important treaty. It was signed in 1886. Thereafter it has been revised many times. It is ratified at nearly 180. It establishes the minimum standards of protection like types of works protected, Duration of protection, Scope of exceptions, Limitation, etc.

 

Universal copyright conventions

 

Copyrighting of the foreign materials generated in the United States is a very relative and recent development. After the year 1891, foreign language materials were easily copyrighted in the United States. The materials in English could not be copyrighted if it was imported unless the type was set and the material printed in the United States. Most of the major countries of the world adhered to the Bern Convention which was of the year 1887 except the United States. It tells us that the literary material copyrighted in any signatory country automatically can enjoy the copyright in all the signatory countries. The Universal Copyright Convention or UCC had the main purpose that the inclusion of the US in any general system of international copyright. It was signed in Geneva in the year 1952. It was successfully accepted by the United States in the year 1954 afterward it came into effectiveness the following year. The U.S. copyright law was modified several times to make it even better. UNESCO played a major role in the negotiations for the Universal Copyright Convention. Universal Copyright Conventions were revised in the year 1971. In 1989 the US became an active member of the Bern Convention, The Bern convention was last revised in the year 1971. Most nations subscribe to the Universal Copyright Conventions. Most of those who do not are parties to the Universal Copyright Conventions or the members of the World Trade Organization having the agreements that cover copyright and other intellectual property rights.

 

 

 

You can also read:

Copyright at a glance

Registering a work to claim copyright

Protection of copyright

Duration and limitation of the rights provided by copyright