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href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/library/en/">Library</a></li> </ul></div></div> <p class="flyout__span d-hide"><a class="btn btn-info" href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/reference/en/">All knowledge</a></p></div></li><li class="flyout-control"> <a class="m-hide" href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/">About IP</a> <a class="t-hide d-hide" href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/">About IP</a><div class="flyout"><div class="nav-group nav-group--three"><div class="nav nav--one"> <h3 class="flyout__header">Intellectual Property</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/">Copyright</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/">Patents</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/trademarks/en/">Trademarks</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/designs/en/">Industrial Designs</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/geo_indications/en/">Geographical Indications</a></li> </ul></div><div class="nav nav--two"> <h3 class="flyout__header">Training</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li> <a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/academy/en/">WIPO Academy</a></li><li> <a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/topic_type.jsp?group_id=242">Workshops & Seminars</a></li> </ul> <h3 class="flyout__header">IP and ...</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/artificial_intelligence/">Artificial Intelligence</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/universities_research/">Universities</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/women-and-ip/en/">Gender Equality</a></li> </ul> </div><div class="nav nav--three"> <h3 class="flyout__header">Raising Awareness</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/ipday/">World IP Day</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/awards/">WIPO Awards</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/tools/">Outreach Campaigns</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/">WIPO Magazine</a></li> </ul></div></div> <p class="flyout__span d-hide"> <a class="btn btn-info" href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/">All about IP</a></p></div></li><li class="flyout-control"> <a class="m-hide" href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/">About WIPO</a> <a class="t-hide d-hide" href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/">About WIPO</a><div class="flyout flyout--shaded"><div class="nav-group nav-group--three"><div class="nav nav--one"> <h3 class="flyout__header">About WIPO</h3> <ul class="flyout__list"><li><a 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href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/">All about WIPO</a></p></div></li><li class="flyout__control flyout__trailer u-text-center d-hide t-hide"> <a href="#tools" title="Go to Meetings, Language, My Account, Media and Contact information">Tools ↓</a></li> </ul> <form method="GET" action="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/tools/en/gsearch.html" class="form-search" name="searchm" id="searchm"> <input name="cx" type="hidden" value="016458537594905406506:hmturfwvzzq"> <input name="cof" type="hidden" value="FORID:11"> <label class="element-invisible" for="querym">Search</label> <input class="search-query" id="querym" name="q" placeholder="Search WIPO" type="text"> <button class="btn ss-search" title="Search"></button> </form></div> </nav><div class="container"> <div class="wrap-outer"> <div class="wrap-inner"> <ul class="nav-breadcrumb"><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/portal/en/">Home</a></li><li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/">About IP</a></li> <li class="active"><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/">Copyright</a></li> </ul> <div class="dropdown nav__on-this-page"><a class="dropdown-toggle" href="#" data-toggle="dropdown">On this page <strong class="caret"></strong></a> <ul class="dropdown-menu dropdown-menu--on-this-page"> <li><a href="#copyright">Copyright basics</a></li> <li><a href="#topics">Topics and issues</a></li> <li><a href="#laws">Law and treaties</a></li> <li><a href="#sc">Standing Committee</a></li> <li><a href="#initiatives">WIPO initiatives</a></li> <li><a href="#resources">Making a living in the creative industries</a></li> <li><a href="#collective">Collective management</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="content"> <h1>Copyright</h1> <div class="main"> <h2><a name="copyright"></a>What is copyright?</h2> <p class="lead">Copyright (or author’s right) is a legal term used to describe the rights that creators have over their literary and artistic works. Works covered by copyright range from books, music, paintings, sculpture, and films, to computer programs, databases, advertisements, maps, and technical drawings.</p> <div class="accordion__heading"><a class="accordion__toggle collapsed" href="#accordion__collapse__01" data-toggle="collapse" data-parent="#accordion">What can be protected using copyright?</a></div> <div class="accordion__group"> <div id="accordion__collapse__01" class="accordion__body collapse"> <div class="accordion__inner"> <p>Exhaustive lists of works covered by copyright are usually not to be found in legislation. Nonetheless, broadly speaking, works commonly protected by copyright throughout the world include:</p> <ul class="dot__list"> <li>literary works such as novels, poems, plays, reference works, newspaper articles;</li> <li>computer programs, databases;</li> <li>films, musical compositions, and choreography;</li> <li>artistic works such as paintings, drawings, photographs, and sculpture;</li> <li>architecture; and</li> <li>advertisements, maps, and technical drawings.</li> </ul> <p>Copyright protection extends only to expressions, and not to ideas, procedures, methods of operation or mathematical concepts as such. Copyright may or may not be available for a number of objects such as titles, slogans, or logos, depending on whether they contain sufficient authorship.</p> </div> </div> </div>  <div class="accordion__heading"><a class="accordion__toggle collapsed" href="#accordion__collapse__02" data-parent="#accordion" data-toggle="collapse">What rights does copyright give me? What are my rights as author of a work?</a></div> <div class="accordion__group"> <div id="accordion__collapse__02" class="accordion__body collapse"> <div class="accordion__inner"> <p>There are two types of rights under copyright:</p> <ul class="dot__list"> <li><strong>economic rights</strong>, which allow the rights owner to derive financial reward from the use of his works by others; and</li> <li><strong>moral rights</strong>, which protect the non-economic interests of the author.</li> </ul> <p>Most copyright laws state that the rights owner has the economic right to authorize or prevent certain uses in relation to a work or, in some cases, to receive remuneration for the use of his work (such as through <a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/management/">collective management</a>). The economic rights owner of a work can prohibit or authorize:</p> <ul class="dot__list"> <li>its reproduction in various forms, such as printed publication or sound recording;</li> <li>its public performance, such as in a play or musical work;</li> <li>its recording, for example, in the form of compact discs or DVDs;</li> <li>its broadcasting, by radio, cable or satellite;</li> <li>its translation into other languages; and</li> <li>its adaptation, such as a novel into a film screenplay.</li> </ul> <p>Examples of widely recognized moral rights include the right to claim authorship of a work and the right to oppose changes to a work that could harm the creator's reputation.</p> </div> </div> </div>  <div class="accordion__heading"><a class="accordion__toggle collapsed" href="#accordion__collapse__03" data-parent="#accordion" data-toggle="collapse">Can I register copyright?</a></div> <div class="accordion__heading"> </div> <div class="accordion__group"> <div id="accordion__collapse__03" class="accordion__body collapse"> <div class="accordion__inner"> <p>In the majority of countries, and according to the <a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/berne/trtdocs_wo001.html">Berne Convention</a>, copyright protection is obtained automatically without the need for registration or other formalities.</p> <p>Most countries nonetheless have a system in place to allow for the voluntary registration of works. Such voluntary registration systems can help solve disputes over ownership or creation, as well as facilitate financial transactions, sales, and the assignment and/or transfer of rights.</p> <p>Please note that WIPO does not offer a copyright registration system or a searchable copyright database. <a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/activities/copyright_registration/">Find out more about copyright registration and documentation systems</a>.</p> </div> </div> </div>  <div class="box"> <p>Read the <a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/faq_copyright.html">full list of copyright FAQs.</a></p> </div> </div> <div class="complementary"> <figure><img style="width: 600px;" title="e_bob_macneil_600" src="/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/e_bob_macneil_600.jpg" alt="A piece of copyright-protected art by artist Bob MacNeil"/> <figcaption><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/ipadvantage/en/details.jsp?id=2688">Read the copyright case study about artist Bob MacNeil.</a> (Photo: Bob MacNeil)</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="content cols cols--three line"> <h2><a name="topics"></a>Copyright topics and issues</h2> <p>Copyright touches our lives on a daily basis. Whether you read a book, watch a film, transfer music, or take a photo, copyright issues are ever-present. <a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/activities/">Explore copyright topics and issues</a>.</p> <div class="col col--one"> <figure><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/activities/video_games.html"><img src="/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/i_000002641390_600.jpg" alt=""/></a> <figcaption class="credit">(Photo: iStock.com)</figcaption> </figure> <h3><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/activities/video_games.html">Video games</a></h3> <p>Video games can draw on audiovisual, artistic and software elements, making them complex and interesting cases in terms of copyright protection.</p> </div>  <div class="col col--two"> <figure><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2011/06/article_0005.html"><img title="f_9816029536_WaagSociety_600" src="/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/f_9816029536_waagsociety_600.jpg" alt=""/></a> <figcaption class="credit">(Photo: Waag Society)</figcaption> </figure> <h3><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/wipo_magazine/en/2011/06/article_0005.html">The future of publishing</a></h3> <p>Publisher Jason Epstein shares his views on the road ahead for publishing and the role of copyright.</p> </div>  <div class="col col--three"> <figure><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/museums_ip/"><img class="media-object" src="/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/f_victorruiz_600.jpg" alt=""/></a> <figcaption class="credit">(Photo: Victor R. Ruiz)</figcaption> </figure> <h3><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/museums_ip/">Copyright and museums</a></h3> <p>The work of museums in preserving, managing and facilitating access to the works in their collections involves some unique copyright-related issues.</p> </div> </div>  <div class="content cols cols--two line"> <h2><a name="laws"></a>Copyright law and treaties</h2> <p>Copyright law aims to balance the interests of those who create content, with the public interest in having the widest possible access to that content. WIPO administers several international treaties in the area of copyright and related rights.</p> <div class="col col--one"> <h3>Copyright-related treaties administered by WIPO</h3> <ul class="dividers"> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/beijing/">Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/berne/">Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/brussels/">Brussels Convention Relating to the Distribution of Program-Carrying Signals Transmitted by Satellite</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/phonograms/">Geneva Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms Against Unauthorized Duplication of Their Phonograms</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/marrakesh/">Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/rome/">Rome Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/wct/">WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT)</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/wppt/">WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT)</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="col col--two"> <h3><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/">IP laws and treaties (WIPO Lex)</a></h3> <p>The WIPO Lex database is a comprehensive search tool that allows you to search national laws and international treaties on intellectual property.</p> </div> </div> <div class="content line"> <div class="main"> <h2><a name="sc"></a><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/sccr/">Standing Committee (SCCR)</a></h2> <p>The Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) is the forum where WIPO member states and observers meet to discuss, debate and decide on issues related to the development of balanced international legal frameworks for copyright to meet society's evolving needs.</p> <h2 class="header">Meetings and documents <a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/topic.jsp?group_id=62"><button class="btn btn-info">Archive</button></a></h2> <div id="wipo-topics" class="listings listings--archive" data-number="2" data-xml="/meetings/en/includes/topic.xml?group_id=62"></div> </div> <div class="complementary"> <figure><img title="f_9159769516_41727b32f2_600" src="/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/shared/pics/f_9159769516_41727b32f2_600.jpg" alt="Stevie Wonder at the signing of the Marrakesh Treaty"/> <figcaption>In 2013, the SCCR's work resulted in the <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=245323">Marrakesh Treaty </a>to improve access to books for visually impaired people.  More SCCR photos on <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180813090537/http://www.flickr.com/photos/wipo/tags/sccr/">Flickr</a>. (Photo: WIPO)</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="content line"> <div class="main"> <h2 id="initiatives">WIPO initiatives</h2> <h3><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180813090537/http://www.accessiblebooksconsortium.org/portal/en/index.html">Accessible Books Consortium (ABC)</a></h3> <p>The Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) aims to increase the number of books worldwide in accessible formats - such as braille, audio and large print - and to make them available to people who are blind, have low vision or are otherwise print disabled.</p> </div> <div class="complementary"></div> </div> <div class="content cols cols--two line"> <h2 id="resources">Making a living in the creative industries</h2> <div class="col col--one"> <div class="cols cols--four"> <div class="col col--one"> <h3><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/publications/en/details.jsp?id=4166"><img style="border: 1px solid;" src="/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/copyright/images/wipo_html_240.jpg" alt=""/></a><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/publications/en/details.jsp?id=4166">Overview</a></h3> </div> <div class="col col--two"> <h3><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/creative_industries/music.html"><img style="border: 1px solid;" src="/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/copyright/images/wipo_music_square.jpg" alt=""/></a><strong><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/creative_industries/music.html">Music</a></strong></h3> </div> <div class="col col--three"> <h3><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/creative_industries/film.html"><img style="border: 1px solid;" src="/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/copyright/images/wipo_film_square.jpg" alt=""/></a><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/creative_industries/film.html">Film</a></h3> </div> <div class="col col--four"> <h3><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/creative_industries/video_games.html"><img style="border: 1px solid;" src="/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/copyright/images/wipo_games_square.jpg" alt=""/></a><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/creative_industries/video_games.html">Video games</a></h3> </div> </div> </div> <div class="col col--two"> <div class="cols cols--four"> <div class="col col--one"> <h3><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/creative_industries/publishing.html"><img style="border: 1px solid;" src="/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/copyright/images/wipo_publishing_square.jpg" alt=""/></a><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/creative_industries/publishing.html">Publishing</a></h3> </div> <div class="col col--two"> <h3><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/creative_industries/advertising.html"><img style="border: 1px solid;" src="/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/copyright/images/wipo_advertising_square.jpg" alt=""/></a><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/creative_industries/advertising.html">Advertising</a></h3> </div> <div class="col col--three"> <h3><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/creative_industries/enterprises.html"><img style="border: 1px solid;" src="/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/export/sites/www/copyright/images/wipo_creative-enterprises_square.jpg" alt=""/></a><strong><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/creative_industries/enterprises.html">Creative firms</a></strong></h3> </div> <div class="col col--four"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="content cols cols--three"> <div class="col col--one"> <h3><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/performance/#size">Measuring the size of copyright industries</a></h3> <p>These national studies look at the size of copyright-based industries on a nation by nation basis. They consider economic contribution in terms of their share of GDP, employment generation, and trade.</p> </div> <div class="col col--two"> <h3><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/performance/index.html#income">Measuring copyright income</a></h3> <p>Through annual surveys on the law and practice of copyright, WIPO tracks the income generated by specific copyrights (e.g. private copying, text and image levies) in different countries. These studies present the results of the surveys.</p> </div> <div class="col col--three"> <h3><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/performance/#performance">Measuring copyright performance</a></h3> <p>Copyright performance studies focus on the specific role played by copyright and related rights in selected industries.  WIPO also makes available draft guidelines on assessing broader copyright impacts in the social, economic, and cultural spheres.</p> </div> </div> <div class="content line"> <h2><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/management/" name="collective">Collective management of copyright</a></h2> <div class="main"> <p class="lead">Collective management is the exercise of copyright and related rights by organizations acting in the interest and on behalf of the owners of rights.</p> <p>For example, an author may allow his/her work to be performed on stage under certain conditions, or a musician may agree to have a performance recorded on CD. However it can be impractical for an author or a musician to contact every single theater or radio station to negotiate licenses for the use of their work. This is where collective rights, and in particular collective management organizations (CMOs), come in.</p> <div class="box"> <h3 class="box__header">WIPOCOS</h3> <ul class="box__list"> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/initiatives/wipocos.html">WIPOCOS</a> is an IT system for Collective Management Organizations to facilitate the <a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/management/">collective management of copyrights</a>.</li> </ul> </div> </div>  <div class="complementary"> <figure><video width="300" height="150" tabindex="0" poster="/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/shared/pics/ccc_cmo_poster.jpg" preload="none" controls="controls"> <source src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/multimedia-video/en/copyright/ccc_cmo.ogg" type="video/ogg"/> <source src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/multimedia-video/en/copyright/ccc_cmo.webm" type="video/webm"/> <source src="https://web.archive.org/web/20180813090537im_/http://www.wipo.int/multimedia-video/en/copyright/ccc_cmo.mp4" type="video/mp4"/> </video> <figcaption>Watch this introductory video to learn more about the collective management of copyright and collective management organizations (CMOs).</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div>  <div class="content cols cols--three line"> <h2><a name="related"></a>Related links</h2> <div class="col col--one"> <h3>Reference</h3> <ul class="dividers"> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/ipadvantage/en/">Case studies</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/topic.jsp?group_id=15">Meetings and Documents</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/freepublications/en/">Publications</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/ipstats/en/">Statistics</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/directory/en/">Country information</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/library/en/">Library</a></li> </ul> </div>  <div class="col col--two"> <h3>Copyright-related training</h3> <ul class="dividers"> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/academy/en/">WIPO Academy</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/topic_type.jsp?group_id=242">Workshops and seminars</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/tk/en/resources/training.html" target="_self">Cultural documentation & IP management</a></li> </ul> </div>  <div class="col col--three"> <h3>About other types of IP</h3> <ul class="dividers"> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/patents/en/">Patents</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/designs/en/">Industrial designs</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/trademarks/en/">Trademarks</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20180813090537/http://www.wipo.int/geo_indications/en/">Geographical 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