Back to basics: why?

Back to Basics: why?

I think the answer is: the rules concerning Copyright and Patents (as the term limit) are resulting from the Treaties and Conventions relating to both (Copyright and Patents) as follows:

PATENTS: 1 - Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property 1883

(revised Stockholm 1967) Current membership approx. 100 countries

2 - Patent Co-operation Treaty (PCT) 1970

    current membership 49 countries

3 - European Patent Convention (EPC) 1973.

    current membership 14

4 - Community Patent Convention 1975 (as amended by the Community Patent Agree

    ment 1989) (not yet in force)

5 - Other miscellaneous patent conventions eg:

    International Patent Classification
    Strasbourg Convention 1963...

COPYRIGHT: 1 - Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works 1886

(revised Paris 1971) current membership 84 countries

2 - Universal Copyright Convention (UCC), Geneva 1952

(revised Paris 1971

3 - Rome Convention for the Protection of Performers, Record Makers and

    Broadcasting Organisations ("Neighbouring Rights Convention")

4 - Geneva Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms 1971

5 - Other miscellaneous conventions.

It looks there is nothing fascinating regarding the differences of terms limits between Patents and Copyright - everything come from treaties and Conventions. In the near future people can agree new conditions for application, registration, foreign and national rights and so on. It's simple.  

Tarcisio. Received on Fri Mar 04 1994 - 20:04:43 GMT