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The music industry is intrinsically connected to the international community: artists create music, which transcends borders and reaches audiences worldwide. Naturally, in such a connected international community, issues regarding the wrongful copying of another artist's work are unavoidable. Due to the lack of a uniform body of international copyright law, however, infringement cases can have very different results depending on the location of the infringement. The aim of this Note is to examine how a few regimes—including the United States, Canada, India, and the European Union—enforce copyright infringement in the music industry, both collectively and individually. Then this Note will address whether it is possible to harmonize these distinct copyright infringement systems to bring greater clarity and uniformity to the global music industry. Ultimately, however, harmonizing international copyright infringement systems seems to be highly unlikely for the foreseeable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the challenges faced by the U.S. and Canadian copyright laws in the digital age. Topics discussed include enactment of the U.S. Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the U.S. Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA); the U.S. Department of Trade's "Priority Watch List" for online piracy; and provisions of Canadian Copyright Modernization Act (CMA) in 2012.

A new era of International Copyright Law started when the United States of America joined the Revised Berne Convention (RBC) in 1988,1 which established that the protection of creative achievements should no longer depend on legal formalities. Instead, every author in the U.S. was able to enjoy a minimum protection of his, her, or its rights, regardless of the author's nationality or compliance with copyright formalities. At that time, nobody could foresee that Charles Dickens, a preeminent English author, was finally granted his rights posthumously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses public policy laws and an unclean hands legal defense in America in relation to the validity of moral limits on copyrightability under a global copyright framework, and it mentions the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works. Judicial authority to intervene in copyright protection matters is assessed, along with the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and a copyright case involving the One Stop Video Ltd. firm.

The article discusses the three-step test and its application in the area of copyright exceptions and limitations (E&Ls). Topics discussed include the drafting history of the international three-step test, emergence of the first three-step test in international copyright law as the Article 9(2) of the Berne Convention, Agreement on TRIPS and the application of the three-step test in World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty.

According to the Law On Intellectual and Artistic Works, work is any intellectual or artistic product bearing the characteristic of its author, which is deemed a scientific and literary or musical work or work of fine arts or cinematographic work. In this study, the Law On Intellectual and Artistic Works and the Copyright Laws of Spain, Germany, France and United Kingdom which are leading countries in this field are examined. This study where content analysis is used is limited to legal provisions related to the work and types of works and aims, in this context, to determine the conditions and problems of copyright law in Turkey. The hypothesis in this study is determined as, because Turkey, Spain, Germany, France and the United Kingdom have approved Berne Convention, Rome Convention, WIPO Copyright Treaty, WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty, Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and the European Union (EU) Directives and brought them in to conformity with their legislations, there is no mismatch in their copyright legislations. As a result of the study, it is ensued that there is no mismatch in terms of work and types of work between the associated countries' copyright legislations and, the hypothesis is proven. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After almost a decade of civil society (CS) efforts aimed at reforming the global intellectual property (IP) system, this study examines whether the paucity in global copyright reform is a result of the failure by civil society to mobilise around an explicit or coherent frame. While previous episodes of global intellectual property rights (IPR) reform advocacy involving CS were effectively contested under a human rights frame, there have been less successful framing attempts in the space of copyright reform advocacy. Using semi-structured interviews with key civil society stakeholders involved in the reform of the global copyright system, the study explores possible explanations for this lapse in framing in copyright reform advocacy. It also questions the extent to which framing has been an intelligible lens through which to understand the success or failure of global IPR advocacy. It reveals that frame analysis does not comprehensively capture success or failure in global IPR policymaking. Lastly, the study looks at problems with civil society and what these mean for copyright reform and ultimately the future of the global IPR system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the debates leading up to the recently adopted international treaty on copyright exceptions for the visually impaired, the Marrakesh International Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled. This treaty was successfully adopted by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in June 2013. Leading up to the negotiation of this instrument, multiple UN member states pushed for the instrument to be negotiated as soft law instead of a treaty. We argue that making this instrument soft law would have precluded its success. WIPO thus correctly chose to make this international instrument a treaty rather than a joint recommendation. This paper explains the international need for this instrument, to solve a global "book famine" and protect the access rights of visually impaired people. It then outlines the debate that occurred leading up to adoption over whether the instrument should be hard law or soft law. This debate illuminates that discussions of hard versus soft law need to be situated in context. We explore both related human rights law and other international copyright law to explain how they altered the hard law-soft law calculation in this case. The concluded treaty reflects WIPO's recognition of related copyright law that had been established in other forums. By creating a binding instrument, WIPO has encouraged developing countries to implement the new treaty, towards the goal of assisting those visually impaired persons most in need of an international solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses copyright protection under the 1971 Paris Act of the Berne Convention (Berne Convention) and the legal aspects of the issuance of compulsory licenses for translating and/or reproducing foreign works into languages of general use in developing countries under the Berne Convention's Appendix as of June 2013. The copyright-related economic benefits for authors and other copyright holders are examined, along with the Universal Copyright Convention.

The article discusses America's statutory damages regime and various copyright laws around the globe as of June 2013, focusing on bilateral and regional trade agreements, anti-aggregation measures, and the potential development of international statutory damages provisions in relation to copyright protections. Compensation for harm is addressed in relation to copyright infringement claims and the disgorgement of a defendant's profits. The World Intellectual Property Organization is assessed.

The article reports on a conference on Internet platforms for historical sources, held in Bern, Switzerland, on November 2, 2012. Topics of discussion included copyright questions such as fair use exemptions for libraries and archives, Creative Commons licenses for the use of digitized library and archival materials, and international cooperation on copyright law. Related issues such as intellectual property, cultural heritage preservation, and access to Internet resources were also considered.

The article discusses the idea of creating and maintaining a balanced global copyright law system as of August 2012. The author argues that the Berne Convention, an international copyright agreement which was drafted in 1886, is a lopsided and unequal legal instrument. He also argues that the idea of pitting the interests and rights of authors against those of users is a mistake.

The article discusses intellectual property rights and the use of region codes on software, games, and DVDs as of July 2012. As a means of enforcing the rights of copyright holders around the world, several international copyright agreements and laws have been established, including the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement) of the World Trade Organization (WTO). The U.S. Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) legislative bill is also mentioned, along with several problems associated with DVD region codes.

The article discusses the copyright law policymaking process in the U.S. as of July 2012, focusing on an analysis of the closed international process which produced the multinational treaty known as the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA), as well as the open domestic process which produced the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) legislative bills in the U.S. All three pieces of legislation reportedly contain copyright enforcement measures to prevent Internet piracy.

The article discusses international treaties related to copyright law and the global protection of industrial property rights and copyrights as of January 2012. The relationship between globalization and copyright infringement is addressed, along with issues relating to the choice of law in cases involving international copyright contracts and offenses. Several international copyright treaties are mentioned, including the 1886 Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.

The essay examines diplomatic negotiations held in Berne, Switzerland between a number of European and African powers in order to develop an international set of copyright standards. Emphasis is given to controversies at these conferences over translations of printed works. The author distinguishes between the needs and interests of those nations that largely exported literary works and those that imported them. The relationship between translation and authorship is also explored.

This article examines worldwide copyright law from the point of view of the school librarian. Like many other countries, the United States belongs to a number of international copyright organizations involved in intellectual property issues within and beyond its boundaries. The goal of copyright compliance is considered using US intellectual property law as an example with the following questions as starting points. (a) Can students legally borrow music from the Internet to add to a class project if the selected Web site comes from a country other than their own? (b) Is it acceptable for a teacher to make class copies of an article that he or she read in a foreign journal for use in his or her classroom? (c) Are Internet entities such as blogs, wikis, and social interaction sites copyrighted? If so, how does this affect educators (and students) who use them? These examples will help readers to understand their responsibilities in relation to national and international copyright laws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the selling of books within the English language markets of America and England. The author is responding to the issue of an increasingly globalized marketplace where national markets play less of a prominent role. The author argues for the separation of the two English language markets for various reasons that include more income per book sold and a more efficient and effective publishing process from authors to retailers. The author also discusses England's relationship with the European Union and the centrality of the author in the midst of discussions of publishing rights decisions.

The article discusses English language publishing rights in the context of a global market from an American perspective. The author states that his perspective is informed by his experience at Perseus, an independent book publisher. The author also states that the general British attitude toward the international global publishing market is defensive and resistant, remaining stuck in an outdated mode of top-down organization and marketing. The author concludes that the international competition will only strengthen the book publishing industry, both large and small.

The article presents and overview of the issues concerning international publishing rights between England and the United States. The author states that the book publishing industry has traditionally been territorially based, with each respective country only selling and marketing within their own national borders. The author poses the question of whether this business model still makes sense given the rise of globalization and the availability of the Internet. The article also serves to introduce several articles in the journal concerning international publishing rights.

“Operation Buccaneer” was the name given to a law enforcement operation against “DrinkOrDie,” a highly organised but globally dispersed Internet-based software piracy group. The concerted enforcement action, led by the US Customs Service and Department of Justice, extended to several European countries and Australia. This paper contrasts the legal consequences that flowed, with numerous suspects pleading guilty in the United States, some contested prosecutions in the United Kingdom, and a sole Australian suspect facing extradition to the United States to face charges. Operation Buccaneer illustrates the cross-national reach of both Internet-based intellectual property crime and the law enforcement response, as well as some of the complexities that arise in applying jurisdictional concepts such as the “double criminality” requirement for extradition in this evolving prosecutorial landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the different means by which international copyright solutions are being and should be developed. Accommodation of technological developments; Role of copyright law as an essential instrument of national cultural and information policy; Effect on a more diverse set of societal interests; Proper role for public international lawmaking to reflect a growing consensus among nation-states.

Comments on the treaties and laws designed to establish a global system of copyright enforcement against the piracy of music and sound recordings. Includes the Universal Copyright Convention; Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights; Effectivity of enforcement; Impact of the pervasiveness of the Internet to music piracy and the efforts to curb it.

The pervasiveness of software piracy throughout the world is having a profound effect on the software publishing industry and the development of digital intellectual properties and technologies--especially in developing countries, where the piracy rates are extremely high. An economic model is first presented that incorporates the incentive structures for governments, software publishers, and individual consumers. The analytical model provides the economic rationale for the reluctance of a number of governments to aggressively enact and enforce intellectual property rights. An important proposition derived from the analysis states that the government's incentive to enact and enforce copyright laws are closely related to the size of the domestic software industry. The ensuing empirical study provides support for the proposition and further suggests that this relationship holds regardless of the income levels of the countries. Our analysis reveals that alliances between foreign and domestic software publishers through product relationships can be mutually beneficial and will provide an environment of increased copyright enforcement. These results provide a viable strategy to combat global software piracy. With strong policies on copyright enforcement, and a vigorous promotion of alliances between foreign and domestic publishers, a government can increase the net welfare of the country and help establish a strong domestic software industry. Through product relationships with domestic publishers, a foreign publisher can improve profits and operate in an environment of increased intellectual property protection. We then present a general model of ethical behavior related to the impact of behavioral and cultural factors on software piracy. The purpose of this model is to examine whether these determinants of piracy behavior are supranational and transcend cultural and ethical barriers. An empirical study involving U.S. and Indian graduate students suggests that the ge... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the co-editors in chief discuss various reports within the issue on topics including online piracy legislation, copyright treaties, and a copyright lawsuit involving an alleged sequel to the late author J.D. Salinger's book "The Catcher in the Rye."

An introduction is presented in which the co-editors-in-chief discuss various reports within the issue on topics including copyright law-related legal cases, the validity of moral limits on copyrightability, and international frameworks of copyright protection.

States that the World Intellectual Property Organisation is considering ways to improve protection for the owners of genetic resources and traditional knowledge at its spring 2001 meeting. Issue of the exploitation of developing countries and native peoples for profit with little protection from international patent and copyright rules; Outlook for the international project.