Login
Login

bilateral copyright agreements of the United States

{{Short description|none}}

Bilateral copyright agreements of the United States are agreements between the United States and another country which allow U.S. authors to claim copyright protection in the other country and authors from that country to claim protection under United States copyright law.

The agreements can take one of two forms with respect to the United States:

Treaties which deal only with copyright matters are usually known as "conventions": however, certain other treaties (e.g., peace treaties) also contain provisions concerning copyright.

Countries affected

{{wiktionary|de facto}}

It is impossible to give a definitive list of countries which are affected by the proclamations listed below. The law of

succession of states allows for the de facto continuation of a treaty or agreement when a territory becomes

independent, and many of the proclamations had effect in former dependent territories.

The United States Department of State has the responsibility to determine whether an agreement is still in force or not with respect to a

given territory: it does not make this determination unless there is an actual case in question. For several former dependent

territories, the question has yet to be posed and the status of their copyright relations with the United States is listed as

"uncertain" by the U.S. Copyright Office.{{cite book|title=International Copyright U.S. Copyright Office Circular 38a: Relations of the United States|publisher=United States Copyright Office|url=http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ38a.pdf|accessdate=April 20, 2011|date=Nov 2010| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20110407035231/http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ38a.pdf| archivedate= 7 April 2011 | url-status= live}}

If the country concerned has continued to protect U.S. copyrighted works since independence, the agreement may be considered to be still in force: under U.S. law, the decision lies with the Secretary of State. The President also has the option of issuing a proclamation under 17 U.S.C. 104A, which has the effect of recognizing the copyrights of the country concerned but provides safeguards for anyone who has used

works in the United States while believing they were in the public domain. This latter option has been used once since it was introduced by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act in 1994, with respect to Vietnam.{{cite web|title=Presidential Proclamation 7161: Extending United States Copyright Protections to the Works of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam |url=http://origin.www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/WCPD-1998-12-28/pdf/WCPD-1998-12-28-Pg2527.pdf |publisher=Office of the President |date=December 23, 1998 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823202023/http://origin.www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/WCPD-1998-12-28/pdf/WCPD-1998-12-28-Pg2527.pdf |archivedate=2011-08-23 }}

Effect of the Copyright Act of 1976

Proclamations issued before January 1, 1978, the effective date of the Copyright Act of 1976, remain in force under section 104 of that Act, which provides that: "All proclamations issued by the President under section 1(e) or 9(b) of title 17 as it existed on December 31, 1977, or under previous copyright statutes of the United States, shall continue in force until terminated, suspended, or revised by the President."

Chronological list

{{As of|2006|1|1|df=US}}, the U.S. State Department lists the following bilateral treaties in force.{{cite book|title=Treaties in Force: a List of Treaties and Other International Agreements of the United States in Force on January 1, 2006; Appendix A, International Copyright Relations of the United States|year=2006|publisher=U.S. Department of State|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/65576.pdf}}

{{sticky header}}

class="wikitable sortable sticky-header"
Date of
proclamation

! Effective
date

! Country

! Notes{{clarify|date=February 2012}}

! Reference

1891-07-01

| 1891-07-01

| Belgium, France, Great Britain and British possessions, Switzerland

|  

| {{usstat|27|981}}

1892-04-15

| 1892-04-15

| Germany

|  

| {{usstat|27|1021}}

1892-10-31

| 1892-10-31

| Italy

| Letters between William F. Wharton and Saverio Fava. Based on copyright law 1012/1882 in Italy and 1891 copyright act. Ratified with Italian royal decree 17/1893 after USA presidential proclamation 35/1892; later denounced; restored in 1948. No set expiry.{{cite web|url=https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/gu/1893/02/07/31/sg/pdf|via= ITRA|title=Scambio di note relativo ai diritti d'autore|quote= Vigenza italiana Dal 28/10/1892 Vigenza internazionale Dal 28/10/1892 INDETERMINATA. DENUNCIABILE IN QUALSIASI MOMENTO SENZA PREAVVISO. Provvedimento legislativo RD N. 17 DEL 12.01.1893 - GU N. 31 DEL 07.02.1893 Pubblicazione ove reperire il testo Note e clausole RIMESSO IN VIGORE CON NOTA DEL 12.03.1948 - GU N. 217 DEL 17.09.1948. PUBBLICAZIONE OVE REPERIRE IL TESTO: TRATTATI E CONVENZIONI VOL. XIII PAG. 200.}}{{cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/65576.pdf|title=INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES|quote=The exchanges of notes between the United States and Italy, on the basis of which the proclamations of October 31, 1892 and May 1, 1915, were issued, were the subject of a note delivered on March 12, 1948, to the Italian Foreign Office by the American Embassy at Rome with respect to pre-war bilateral treaties and other international agreements which the United States desired to keep in force or revive pursuant to Article 44 of the Treaty of Peace with Italy. The note stated in part ‘‘that the Government of the United States of America wishes to include the reciprocal copyright arrangement between the United States and Italy effected pursuant to the exchange of notes signed at Washington October 28, 1892, and the exchanges of notes signed at Washington September 2, 1914, February 12, March 4, and March 11, 1915, among the pre-war bilateral treaties and other international agreements with Italy which the United States desires to keep in force or revive. Accordingly, it is understood that the aforementioned arrangement will continue in force and that the Government of each country will extend to the nationals of the other country treatment as favorable with respect to copyrights as was contemplated at the time the arrangement was entered into by the two countries.’’ (Department of State Bulletin, April 4, 1948, p. 455).}}

| {{usstat|27|1043}}

1893-05-08

| 1893-05-08

| Denmark

|  

| {{usstat|28|1219}}

1893-07-20

| 1893-07-20

| Portugal

|  

| {{usstat|28|1222}}

1895-07-10

| 1895-07-10

| Spain

|  

| {{usstat|29|871}}

1896-02-27

| 1896-02-27

| Mexico

|  

| {{usstat|29|877}}

1896-05-25

| 1896-05-25

| Chile

|  

| {{usstat|29|880}}

1898-12-10

| 1898-12-10

| Spanish possessions

| Treaty

| {{usstat|30|1754}}; TS 343

1899-10-19

| 1899-10-19

| Costa Rica

|  

| {{usstat|31|1955}}

1899-11-20

| 1899-11-20

| The Netherlands and Dutch possessions

|  

| {{usstat|31|1961}}

1903-10-08

| 1904-01-13

| China

| Treaty

| {{usstat|33|2208}}

1903-11-17

| 1903-11-17

| Cuba

|  

| {{usstat|33|2324}}

1905-07-01

| 1905-07-01

| Norway

|  

| {{usstat|34|3111}}

1905-11-10

| 1906-05-10

| Japan

| Conv.

| {{usstat|34|2890}}

1907-09-20

| 1907-09-20

| Austro-Hungarian Empire

|  

| {{usstat|35|2155}}

1908-05-19

| 1908-08-06

| Japanese possessions in Korea

| Conv.

| {{usstat|35|2041}}

1908-05-19

| 1908-08-06

| Japanese possessions in China

| Conv.

| {{usstat|35|2044}}

1910-04-09

| 1909-07-01

| Austro-Hungarian Empire, Belgium, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, France, Germany,

Great Britain and British possessions, Italy, Mexico,

The Netherlands and Dutch possessions, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland

|  

| {{usstat|36|2685}}

1910-06-29

| 1910-06-29

| Luxembourg

|  

| {{usstat|36|2716}}

1910-12-08

| 1910-12-08

| Germany

| m

| {{usstat|36|2761}}

1911-05-26

| 1911-06-01

| Sweden

|  

| {{usstat|37|1682}}

1911-06-14

| 1910-09-09

| Norway

| m

| {{usstat|37|1687}}

1911-06-14

| 1909-07-01

| Belgium

| m

| {{usstat|37|1688}}

1911-06-14

| 1910-06-29

| Luxembourg

| m

| {{usstat|37|1689}}

1911-11-27

| 1911-05-29

| Cuba

| m

| {{usstat|37|1721}}

1912-01-30

| 1912-10-16

| Hungary

| Conv., m

| {{usstat|37|1631}}

1912-10-04

| 1912-10-04

| "the subjects of Tunis"

|  

| {{usstat|37|1765}}

1915-01-01

| 1915-01-01

| United Kingdom and the British Dominions, Colonies and Possessions with the exception of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Newfoundland

| m

| {{usstat|38|2044}}

1915-05-01

| 1915-05-01

| Italy

| m

| {{usstat|39|1725}}

1916-08-04

| 1916-08-04

| Danish West Indies

| Treaty

| {{usstat|39|1706}}; TS 629

1917-02-09

| 1916-12-01

| New Zealand

| m

| {{usstat|39|1815}}

1918-04-03

| 1918-03-15

| Australia

| m

| {{usstat|40|1764}}

1918-05-24

| 1918-05-24

| France

| m

| {{usstat|40|1784}}

1920-02-27

| 1920-02-01

| Sweden

| m

| {{usstat|41|1787}}

1920-04-10

| 1920-02-02

| United Kingdom and the British Dominions, Colonies and Possessions with the exception of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Newfoundland

| mx

| {{usstat|41|1790}}

1920-12-09

| 1920-12-09

| Denmark

| mx

| {{usstat|41|1810}}

1920-12-16

| 1921-09-01

| Thailand

| Treaty

| {{usstat|42|1928}}; TS 655

1921-08-24

| 1921-08-24

| Austria

| Treaty

| {{usstat|42|1946}}; TS 659

1921-08-25

| 1921-08-25

| Germany

| Treaty

| {{usstat|42|1939}}; TS 658

1921-08-29

| 1921-08-29

| Hungary

| Treaty

| {{usstat|42|1951}}; TS 660

1922-05-22

| 1922-05-22

| Austria

| x

| {{usstat|42|2273}}

1922-05-25

| 1922-05-25

| Germany

| x

| {{usstat|42|2271}}

1922-05-25

| 1922-05-25

| New Zealand

| x

| {{usstat|42|2274}}

1922-06-03

| 1922-06-03

| Italy

| x

| {{usstat|42|2276}}

1922-06-03

| 1922-06-03

| Hungary

| x

| {{usstat|42|2277}}

1923-02-26

| 1922-10-02

| The Netherlands and Dutch possessions

| m

| {{usstat|42|2297}}

1923-12-27

| 1924-01-01

| Canada

| m

| {{usstat|43|1932}}

1924-06-26

| 1924-07-01

| South Africa

| m

| {{usstat|43|1957}}

1924-11-22

| 1923-07-01

| Switzerland

| m

| {{usstat|43|1976}}

1925-03-11

| 1920-08-01

| Austria

| m

| {{usstat|44|2571}}

1925-11-18

| 1925-07-01

| Chile

| m

| {{usstat|44|2590}}

1927-02-14

| 1927-02-16

| Poland

| m

| {{usstat|44|2634}}

1927-04-27

| 1927-03-01

| Czechoslovakia

| m

| {{usstat|45|2906}}

1928-05-14

| 1928-05-14

| Romania

| m

| {{usstat|45|2949}}

1928-12-15

| 1929-01-01

| Finland

| m

| {{usstat|45|2980}}

1929-09-28

| 1929-10-01

| Irish Free State

| m

| {{usstat|46|3005}}

1932-02-23

| 1932-03-01

| Greece

| m

| {{usstat|47|2502}}

1933-09-29

| 1933-10-01

| Palestine (excluding Trans-Jordan)

| m

| {{usstat|48|1713}}

1934-04-07

| 1934-04-07

| Danzig

| m

| {{usstat|48|1737}}

1934-08-23

| 1934-08-23

| Argentina

| m

| {{usstat|49|3413}}

1934-10-10

| 1934-10-10

| Spain

| m

| {{usstat|49|3420}}

1937-11-13

| 1938-10-01

| Thailand

| Treaty

| {{usstat|53|1731}}

1944-03-10

| 1944-03-10

| United Kingdom, certain British Territories and Palestine (excluding Trans-Jordan)

| xx

| {{usstat|58|1129}}

1946-11-04

| 1948-11-30

| China

| Treaty

| {{usstat|63|1299}}

1947-02-10

| 1947-09-15

| Italy

| Treaty

| {{usstat|61|1245}}; TIAS 1648

1947-02-10

| 1947-09-15

| Romania

| Treaty

| {{usstat|61|1757}}; TIAS 1649

1947-02-10

| 1947-09-15

| Hungary

| Treaty

| {{usstat|61|2065}}; TIAS 1651

1947-03-27

| 1947-03-27

| France

| xx

| {{usstat|61|1057}}

1947-04-24

| 1947-04-24

| New Zealand

| xx

| {{usstat|61|1065}}

1948-10-21

| 1948-10-21

| Philippines

| m

| {{usstat|62|1568}}

1949-12-29

| 1949-12-29

| Australia

| xx (12 months)

| 64 Stat. A385

1950-03-26

| 1950-12-29

| United Kingdom, certain British Territories and Palestine (excluding Trans-Jordan)

| o

| 64 Stat. A412

1950-05-04

| 1950-05-15

| Israel

| m

| 64 Stat. A402

1950-05-26

| 1950-12-29

| France

| o

| 64 Stat. A413

1950-05-26

| 1950-12-29

| New Zealand

| o

| 64 Stat. A414

1951-09-08

| 1952-04-28

| Japan

| Treaty

| 3 UST 3169; TIAS 2490

1951-11-16

| 1951-11-16

| Finland

| xx

| 66 Stat. C5

1951-12-12

| 1951-12-12

| Italy

| xx

| 66 Stat. C13

1952-02-04

| 1952-02-04

| Denmark

| xx

| 66 Stat. C20

1952-10-15

| 1952-10-15

| Monaco

| m

| 67 Stat. C16

1953-11-10

| 1952-04-28

| Japan

| m

| 5 UST 118

1954-10-21

| 1947-08-15

| India

| m

| 5 UST 2529

1957-04-02

| 1957-04-02

| Brazil

| m

| 8 UST 424

1960-06-15

| 1960-06-15

| Austria

| xx

| 74 Stat. C69

1966-05-29

| 1968-06-08

| Thailand

| Treaty

| 19 UST 5843; TIAS 6540

1967-07-12

| 1967-07-12

| Federal Republic of Germany

| xx

| 18 UST 2369

1987-05-18

| 1987-05-18

| Singapore

|  

| {{usstat|101|2134}}

1992-03-17

| 1992-03-17

| People's Republic of China

|  

| 57 F. Reg. 9647

1998-12-23

| 1998-12-23

| Vietnam

| r

| 63 F. Reg. 71571

2000-07-13

| 2001-12-10

| Vietnam

| Conv.

| H. Doc. 107-85

2000-10-24

| 2001-12-17

| Jordan

| Conv.

| H. Doc. 107-15

See also

References

{{reflist|30em}}

Category:United States copyright law