Wipo Copyright Treaty

WIPO COPYRIGHT TREATY
The WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) is a special agreement under the Berne
Convention that deals with the protection of works and the rights of their
authors in the digital environment. Any Contracting Party (even if it is not
bound by the Berne Convention) must comply with the substantive provisions
of the 1971 (Paris) Act of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary
and Artistic Works (1886). Furthermore, the WCT mentions two subject
matters to be protected by copyright: (i) computer programs, whatever the
mode or form of their expression; and (ii) compilations of data or other
material ("databases"), in any form, which, by reason of the selection or
arrangement of their contents, constitute intellectual creations. (Where a
database does not constitute such a creation, it is outside the scope of this
Treaty.)
As to the rights granted to authors, apart from the rights recognized by the

Berne Convention, the Treaty also grants: (i) the right of distribution; (ii) the
right of rental; and (iii) a broader right of communication to the public.
The right of distribution is the right to authorize the making available to the
public of the original and copies of a work through sale or other transfer of
ownership.
The right of rental is the right to authorize commercial rental to the public of
the original and copies of three kinds of works: (i) computer programs (except
where the computer program itself is not the essential object of the
rental); (ii) cinematographic works (but only in cases where commercial rental
has led to widespread copying of such works, materially impairing the exclusive
right of reproduction); and (iii) works embodied in phonograms as determined
in the national law of Contracting Parties (except for countries which, since
April 15, 1994, have had a system in force for equitable remuneration of such
rental).
The right of communication to the public is the right to

authorize any communication to the public, by wire or wireless means,
including "the making available to the public of works in a way that the
members of the public may access the work from a place and at a time
individually chosen by them". The quoted expression covers, in particular, on-
demand, interactive communication through the Internet.
As to limitations and exceptions, Article 10 of the WCT incorporates the so-

called "three step" test to determine limitations and exceptions, as provided
for in Article 9(2) of the Berne Convention, extending its application to all
rights. The Agreed Statement accompanying the WCT provides that such
limitations and exceptions, as established in national law in compliance with
the Berne Convention, may be extended to the digital environment.
Contracting States may devise new exceptions and limitations appropriate to
the digital environment. The extension of existing or the creation of new
limitations and exceptions is allowed if the conditions of the "three-step" test
are met.
As to duration, the term of protection must be at least 50 years for any kind of
work.
The enjoyment and exercise of the rights provided for in the Treaty cannot be
subject to any formality.
The Treaty obliges Contracting Parties to provide legal remedies against the
circumvention of technological measures (e.g., encryption) used by authors in
connection with the exercise of their rights, and against the removal or altering
of information, such as certain data that identify works or their authors,
necessary for the management (e.g., licensing, collecting and distribution of
royalties) of their rights ("rights management information").
The Treaty obliges each Contracting Party to adopt, in accordance with its legal
system, the measures necessary to ensure the application of the Treaty. In
particular, each Contracting Party must ensure that enforcement procedures
are available under its law so as to permit effective action against any act of
infringement of rights covered by the Treaty. Such action must include
expeditious remedies to prevent infringement as well as remedies that
constitute a deterrent to further infringement.
The Treaty establishes an Assembly of the Contracting Parties whose main task
is to address matters concerning the maintenance and development of the
Treaty. It entrusts to the Secretariat of WIPO the administrative tasks
concerning the Treaty.
The Treaty was concluded in 1996 and entered into force in 2002.
The Treaty is open to States members of WIPO and to the European

Community. The Assembly constituted by the Treaty may decide to admit
other intergovernmental organizations to become party to the Treaty.
Instruments of ratification or accession must be deposited with the Director
General of WIPO.
WIPO PHONOGRAMS AND PERFORMANCES TREATY
The WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT) deals with the rights
of two kinds of beneficiaries, particularly in the digital
environment: (i) performers (actors, singers, musicians, etc.); and (ii) producers
of phonograms (persons or legal entities that take the initiative and have the
responsibility for the fixation of sounds). These rights are addressed in the
same instrument, because most of the rights granted by the Treaty to
performers are rights connected to their fixed, purely aural
performances (which are the subject matter of phonograms).
As far as performers are concerned, the Treaty grants performers economic

rights in their performances fixed in phonograms (not in audio visual fixations,
such as motion pictures): (i) the right of reproduction; (ii) the right of
distribution; (iii) the right of rental; and (iv) the right of making available.
The right of reproduction is the right to authorize direct or indirect

reproduction of the phonogram in any manner or form.
public of the original and copies of the phonogram through sale or other
transfer of ownership.
The right of rental is the right to authorize the commercial rental to the public
of the original and copies of the phonogram, as determined in the national law
of the Contracting Parties (except for countries that, since April 15, 1994, have
had a system in force for equitable remuneration of such rental).
The right of making available is the right to authorize the making available to
the public, by wire or wireless means, of any performance fixed in a
phonogram, in such a way that member of the public may access the fixed
performance from a place and at a time individually chosen by them. This right
covers, in particular, on-demand, interactive making available through the
Internet.
As to unfixed (live) performances, the Treaty grants performers: (i) the right of

broadcasting (except in the case of rebroadcasting); (ii) the right of
communication to the public (except where the performance is a broadcast
performance); and (iii) the right of fixation.
The Treaty also grants performers moral rights, that is, the right to claim to be
identified as the performer and the right to object to any distortion, mutilation
or other modification that would be prejudicial to the performer's reputation.
As far as producers of phonograms are concerned, the Treaty grants

them economic rights in their phonograms: (i) the right of reproduction; (ii) the
right of distribution; (iii) the right of rental; and (iv) the right of making
available.
The right of reproduction is the right to authorize direct or indirect

reproduction of the phonogram in any manner or form.
public of the original and copies of the phonogram through sale or other
transfer of ownership.
The right of rental is the right to authorize the commercial rental to the public
of the original and copies of the phonogram, as determined in the national law
of the Contracting Parties (except for countries that, since April 15, 1994, have
a system in force for equitable remuneration of such rental).
The right of making available is the right to authorize making available to the
public, by wire or wireless means, a phonogram in such a way that members of
the public may access the phonogram from a place and at a time individually
chosen by them. This right covers, in particular, on-demand, interactive making
available through the Internet.
The Treaty provides that performers and producers of phonograms have the
right to a single equitable remuneration for the direct or indirect use of
phonograms, published for commercial purposes, broadcasting or
communication to the public. However, any Contracting Party may restrict or –
provided that it makes a reservation to the Treaty – deny this right. In the case
and to the extent of a reservation by a Contracting Party, the other Contracting
Parties are permitted to deny, vis-à-vis the reserving Contracting Party,
national treatment ("reciprocity").
As to limitations and exceptions, Article 16 of the WPPT incorporates the so-

called "three step" test to determine limitations and exceptions, as provided
for in Article 9(2) of the Berne Convention, extending its application to all
rights. The accompanying Agreed Statement provides that such limitations and
exceptions, as established in national law in compliance with the Berne
Convention, may be extended to the digital environment. Contracting States
may devise new exceptions and limitations appropriate to the digital
environment. The extension of existing or the creation of new limitations and
exceptions is allowed if the conditions of the "three-step" test are met.
The term of protection must be at least 50 years.
The enjoyment and exercise of the rights provided for in the Treaty cannot be
subject to any formality.
The Treaty obliges Contracting Parties to provide for legal remedies against the
circumvention of technological measures (e.g., encryption) used by performers
or phonogram producers in connection with the exercise of their rights, and
against the removal or altering of information – such as the indication of
certain data that identify the performer, performance, producer of the
phonogram and the phonogram itself – necessary for the management (e.g.,
licensing, collecting and distribution of royalties) of the said rights ("rights
management information").
The Treaty obliges each Contracting Party to adopt, in accordance with its legal
system, the measures necessary to ensure the application of the Treaty. In
particular, each Contracting Party must ensure that enforcement procedures
are available under its law so as to permit effective action against any act of
infringement of rights covered by the Treaty. Such action must include
expeditious remedies to prevent infringement as well as remedies that
constitute a deterrent to further infringement.
The Treaty establishes an Assembly of the Contracting Parties whose main task
is to address matters concerning the maintenance and development of the
Treaty. It entrusts to the Secretariat of WIPO the administrative tasks
concerning the Treaty.
The Treaty was concluded in 1996 and entered into force in 2002.
The Treaty is open to States members of WIPO and to the European

Community. The Assembly constituted by the Treaty may decide to admit
other intergovernmental organizations to become party to the Treaty.
Instruments of ratification or accession must be deposited with the Director
General of WIPO.

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WIPO COPYRIGHT TREATY

As to the rights granted to authors, apart from the rights recognized by the

The right of communication to the public is the right to

As to limitations and exceptions, Article 10 of the WCT incorporates the so-

The Treaty is open to States members of WIPO and to the European

As far as performers are concerned, the Treaty grants performers economic

The right of reproduction is the right to authorize direct or indirect

As to unfixed (live) performances, the Treaty grants performers: (i) the right of

As far as producers of phonograms are concerned, the Treaty grants

The right of reproduction is the right to authorize direct or indirect

As to limitations and exceptions, Article 16 of the WPPT incorporates the so-

The term of protection must be at least 50 years.

The Treaty is open to States members of WIPO and to the European

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