|
International Copyright Protection
The following information is taken from Information
Circular 38a of the United States Copyright Office. For
further discussion and a list of countries that have reciprocal
copyright treaties with the United States, consult the information
circular.
International Copyright Relations of the United States
There is no such thing as an "international copyright"
that will automatically protect an author's writings throughout
the world. Protection against unauthorized use in a particular
country basically depends on the national laws of that country.
However, most countries offer protection to foreign works
under certain conditions that have been greatly simplified
by international copyright treaties and conventions. There
are two principal international copyright conventions, the
Berne Union for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Property
(Berne Convention) and the Universal Copyright Convention
(UCC).
An author who wishes copyright protection for his or her
work in a particular country should first determine the extent
of the protection available to works of foreign authors in
that country. If possible, this should be done before the
work is published anywhere, because protection may depend
on the facts existing at the time of first publication.
If the country in which protection is sought is a party to
one of the international copyright conventions, the work generally
may be protected by complying with the conditions of that
convention. Even if the work cannot be brought under an international
convention, protection under the specific provisions of the
country's national laws may still be possible. There are,
however, some countries that offer little or no copyright
protection to any foreign works. For current information on
the requirements and protection provided by other countries,
it may be advisable to consult an expert familiar with foreign
copyright laws. The United States Copyright Office is not
permitted to recommend agents or attorneys or to give legal
advice on foreign laws.
|
