Copyright symbol as utilized by the Universal Copyright Convention.
International copyright law has been created through several treaties, allowing creators to have copyright protection in any of the countries that have signed the treaties. The treaties were created through several organizations, including the Berne Convention, the World Intellectual Property Organizations and the Universal Copyright Convention.
International Copyright Law
An international copyright that protects a work worldwide does not exist, says copyright.gov. However, if a person copyrights his work in a country that is a member to any of the international copyright conventions, then his copyright extends to any member country.
Berne Convention
The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works was modeled after the United States Copyright Act. The convention provides the categories of protected works and the rights granted to the creator, as well as translation rights because of the many languages used by member countries.
World Intellectual Property Organization
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) promotes cooperation among member countries in protecting copyrighted works. The WIPO Copyright Treaty provides digital copyright protection for computer software and digital databases.
Universal Copyright Convention
The Universal Copyright Convention or U.C.C. had 100 member countries in 2010. Member parties agreed that a universal copyright system would assure the further development of literature and the arts.
Increased Protections
International copyright law provides additional protections not yet included in United States copyright law, including granting a creator "moral rights" to his work, says WIPO. This means that a creator can control how others use his work.
