Re: French copyright

Mark Tapio Kines <mark[_at_]boxtop.com> asked:
>
> I was wondering if French copyright law is such that, to ensure
> copyright protection for a work, the owner must include the Copyright
> symbol - or at least a copyright notice - on the work. I know that in
> the U.S. you no longer must include this on the work, but I've heard
> some countries still insist on the symbol. Any info here?

I am neither a lawyer or French, but:

No.

France, like most non-Anglo-Saxon countries, deals in *Author's* Rights: these are rights attaching to the individual, rather than property rights. No formality or registration is or cab be required; one possesses author's rights by virtue of being the author.

The international law in the Berne Conventions is informed by this author's rights perspective. That's why (as I understand it) the US had to remove the requirement of registration to comply with international law.

For the avoidance of doubt, US authors are still advised to register; but this is a matter of evidence, of reducing costs in any law-suit, not a requirement.

Mike Holderness
http://www.poptel.org.uk/nuj/mike Received on Wed Apr 30 1997 - 17:36:07 GMT