International Copyright Agreements

International copyright law consists of a complicated set of agreements between different countries.

Globalization has greatly accelerated the rate at which new products are developed all over the world. In order to ensure that companies don't profit from an original designer's hard work, international copyright laws have been developed to protect these inventors and artists from theft.

Berne Convention

International copyright law is based on treaties signed between countries that agree to copyright the works of foreigners in their own country. The Berne Convention for the Protection of Artistic and Literary Works is one of the largest such treaties, with over 164 signatories as of 2008. First created in 1886, it requires signatories to automatically protect all artistic works, including photography and cinematography.

TRIPS

The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) was developed during the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) talks of 1994 and managed by the World Trade Organization (WTO). It is the world's most comprehensive international copyright treaty and covers everything from artists' creations to patents and plant varieties.

WCT

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a UN agency dedicated to promoting the establishment of international copyright agreements between member nations. In 1996, as a response to the rise of information technology, the organization created the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT), which focuses specifically on computer software and database content.

References

• World Intellectual Property Organization: Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works
• World Trade Organization: Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
• World Intellectual Property Organization: WIPO Copyright Treaty